Myosotis glauca
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
White
Detailed description
Decumbent, biennial or perennial herb, forming small, circular patches on open ground. Rosette rather open, sparsely leafy. Petiole broad 5(-10) mm long. Leaves 10-30 x 5-8 mm, glaucous green or grey, obovate to spathulate, apex obtuse or rounded, rarely subacute, base narrowly cuneate to attenuate; upper surface clad in short, stiff, sparse tightly appressed hairs. Lateral branches few, decumbent, 50-100 mm long, extending well beyond rosette leaves, rather openly branching, internodes 10-15 mm long. Stem leaves similar to rosette-leaves. Bracts up to 8 x 6 mm, rather leafy, obovate. Inflorescences cymose, cymes simple, few- to many-flowered, subtended by leafy bracts throughout, internodes < bracts, often rather short. Pedicels 1.5-2 mm long. Calyx 3-5 mm long, elongating to 4-8 mm long in fruiting material, lobes deeply cut to half calyx length, lobes subacute, hairs few, confined in lines to margins and on vertical lines of calyx, very short, stiff and coarse. Flowers white. Corolla 3 mm diameter, corolla tube cylindric 0.4-0.6 mm, lobes very narrow, apex obtuse; stamens on short filaments, anthers 0.5-0.8 mm, wholly included within corolla tube, anther tips obscured, rarely reaching scales; style 0.1-0.3, stigma capitate. Nutlets 1.2-1.5 x (0.8-)1-1.2 mm, brown-black to grey-black, broadly ovate.
Similar taxa
Myosotis glauca is allied to M. brevis, M. drucei and M. pygmaea. From these species M. glauca can be distinguished by the biennial to perennial habit, glaucous-green to grey leaf colour, the sparse, erect, stiff and short calyx hairs, and by the very broadly ovate nutlets (seeds).
Distribution
Endemic, North and South Islands. In the North Island known from one site in the southern Kaimanawa Range. In the South Island known from widely scattered sites from Canterbury, Central Otago and northern Southland.
Habitat
Open, dry sandy, gravelly ground or clay pans. Often in wind ablated scrapes, and shows a marked preference for base rich substrates. Usually found growing in small patches often in the vicinity of scabweeds. It has also been found growing admist Muehlenbeckia axillaris (Hook.f.) Endl. mats.
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 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: Sp, DPT, PF
Threats
Seriously threatened by weed invasion of the dry, open sites it requires.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Myosotis pygmaea var. glauca G.Simpson et J.S.Thomson
Taxonomic notes
Myosotis pygmaea var. glauca was elevated to species rank by de Lange and Barkla in de Lange et al. (2010).
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
(August-) September to December (however sporadic flowering may occur throughout the year)
Fruiting
September to January (however fruits may be found throughout the year)
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed but short-lived and difficult to maintain for any length of time. Dislikes humidity.
Other information
Etymology
myosotis: Mouse-eared
glauca: Bloom has thin powder
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 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: DP, Sp
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: De, DP, Sp
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: De, DP, SP
2004 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered
Regional conservation statuses
Otago: 2025 | Regionally Threatened – Regionally Endangered | Qualifiers: NR, NStr, PF, Sp, TL
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation Status of Indigenous Vascular Plants in Otago, 2025” Jarvie S et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
de Lange, P.J.; Heenan, P.B.; Norton, D.A.; Rolfe, J.R.; Sawyer, J.W.D. 2010: Threatened Plants of New Zealand. Canterbury University Press, Christchurch.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for the NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 14 April 2006. Description by P.J. de Lange and subsequently published in de Lange et al. (2010).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Myosotis glauca Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/myosotis-glauca/ (Date website was queried)