Myosotis lytteltonensis
Common names
Lyttelton forget-me-not
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
White, Yellow
Detailed description
Short-lived robust, perennial herb. Rosette leaves on stout petioles 30-70 mm long, sheathing at base; lamina 25-40 x 8-15 mm, broadly oblong to spathulate, obtuse to retuse, apex apiculate, all parts hairy, hairs, long silky, more or less appressed. Lateral branches numerous 150 x 450(-800) mm long, decumbent to prostrate, trailing, ascending at tips, copiously covered in straight, somewhat appressed hairs. Upper stem leaves petiolate becoming sessile, 25-35 x 15-30 mm. Inflorescence cymose, with many subsidiary laterals. Flowers usually white, or white with yellow eye, 10 mm diam. Pedicels 2-5(-10) mm. Calyx tubular, 5-lobed, lobes linear to linear-lanceolate, acuminate, outer surface densely invested with straight hairs. Corolla tube funnelform, twice calyx length, scales 5; lobes 5, shortly-obtuse to rounded. Anthers inserted within tube, tips scarcely reaching scales. Style reaching or exceeding corolla scales. Nutlets ovoid, glossy, greyish black.
Similar taxa
Similar to Myosotis forsteri from which it differs by the under surfaces of the rosette leaves which lack orange glands and have few if any retrorse hairs, and by the larger, more deeply cut and hairer calyces. Not closely allied to any of the other entities currently included in New Zealand under the Australian named M. australis R.Br.
Distribution
Endemic. North and South Islands. In the North Island formerly recorded from Owhiro Bay, Wellington. In the South Island similar plants have been collected from the Swale River, inland Kaikoura Range in the early part of last century. All current records come from Banks Peninsula, in several sites overlooking Lyttelton Harbour.
Habitat
Generally coastal, on cliff faces, but also found inland. Usually on sparsely vegetated rock ledges, crevices and rock overhangs, nearly always in damp and shady places.
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 Critical | Qualifiers: Sp, DPT, RR
Threats
The North Island occurrence was destroyed by quarry operations. There have been no recent collections from the Kaikoura region. The Banks Peninsula populations were at severe risk from feral goats, most of which have now been eliminated from the peninsula. Currently Banks Peninsula plants are threatened by weeds which have invaded many of its bluff, ledge and cliff habitats.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Myosotis australis var. lytteltonensis Laing et A.Wall
Taxonomic notes
Myosotis australis var. lytteltonensis was elevated to species rank by de Lange in de Lange et al. (2010).
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
(September-) October - January. However plants may be found flowering throughout the year
Fruiting
May be present throughout the year
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed and does well in a sunny situation. An excellent pot-plant. Inclined to be short-lived, and dislikes humidity. In humid climates it is prone to powdery mildew and other fungi, and can be difficult to grow.
Other information
Plant of the Month
This plant has been featured as a Plant of the Month – see Trilepidea: NZPCN newsletter for October 2004 for the full story.
Etymology
myosotis: Mouse-eared
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
MYOLYT
Chromosome number
2n = 40
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 Critical | Qualifiers: CD, So
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, Sp
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, Sp
2004 | Threatened – Nationally Critical
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 lytteltonensis Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/myosotis-lytteltonensis/ (Date website was queried)