Myosotis capitata
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
Blue
Detailed description
Perennial rosette-forming herb. Rosette usually single, sometimes several and so appearing tufted; rosette lamina linear-oblong to spathulate, 30–120 × 10–25 mm, apex rounded, ± mucronate, petiole very wide and ill-defined; lamina densely clad in long, silky hairs, spreading, upper surface hairs numerous, hairs of leaf undersides shorter and sparser, tending toward glabrescent or glabrate. Lateral branches erect, few to many, occasionally branched, 50–300 mm long, internodes < leaves. Stem-leaves many, ± recurved, upper ones sessile and oblong, up to 40 mm long, tip rounded and mucronate; hairs long, fine, spreading, crowded, especially on upper surface. Cymes ebracteate, except for an occasional leaf near base, 8-flowered, short and usually branched; internodes between fruits usually much < calyx except towards base; pedicels very short. Calyx 3–5 mm long, lobes > ½ length, rather broad, obtuse, nerve rather strong, hairs numerous, not hooked, silky, mostly long. Corolla deep blue, 4–8 mm diameter, tube 3–5 mm, cylindric, lobes broadly rounded (e.g. 2.0 × 2.5 mm.) and flat; filaments very short, anthers up to 1 mm long, acute, tips reaching to or just beyond scales; style > calyx in fruit, stigma capitate. Nutlets 1.2–2.5 × 1.2–1.5 mm, black, acute, keeled on inner face.
Similar taxa
The uniformly dark blue pigmented flowers, bright green leaves and restriction to the Auckland Islands and Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku, immediately distinguish this species from all other indigenous Myosotis spp. It could however be confused with the exotic M. sylvatica—which is commonly naturalised in New Zealand and not yet known from the Auckland Islands and Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku. Myosotis sylvatica is much bigger than M. capitata, grows in a wider range of usually disturbed weedy habitats and the corolla-lobes of the flowers have a white base to them.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: Auckland Islands, Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku.
Habitat
Found from sea level to 600 m a.s.l. in rocky places such as cliff faces, boulderfield and rock strewn ground, growing on thin peat soils and rock saprolite.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
Threats
Not threatened. Listed because it is a narrow range endemic of the Auckland Islands and Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku. Some past reports suggest it is becoming less common on Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku but these observations are countered by other reports suggesting that while sparsely distributed it is still common there. It is for this reason this species has been qualified Data Poor (DP).
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November–February
Fruiting
December–February
Propagation technique
Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild. Can be grown from fresh seed but dislikes humidity and excessive heat. In cultivation even apparently healthy plants are often prone to sudden collapse.
Other information
Etymology
myosotis: Mouse-eared
capitata: From the Latin capitus ‘head’, with a knob-like head or tip
Chromosome number
2n = 46
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP
2004 | Range Restricted
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Allan HH. 1961. Flora of New Zealand, Volume I. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledones. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 1085 p.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 1 February 2008. Description based on Allan (1961).
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Myosotis capitata Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/myosotis-capitata/ (Date website was queried)