Myosotis mooreana
Common name
forget-me-not
Synonyms
None - first described in 2012
Family
Boraginaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley. 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: DP, OL, Sp
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: DP, OL, RR, Sp
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: DP, OL
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (North West Nelson (Kahurangi National Park))
Habitat
Myosotis mooreana is so far known only from a single population growing in leaf litter accumulated around boulders in closed red beech (Fuscospora fusca) forest.
Detailed description
Plant perennial, c.20 mm tall. Rosette leaves 5–12, obovate, 32.4–56.0 ×15.8–20.5 mm; apex mucronulate, c.0.4 mm long. Leaf lamina base attenuate to petiole. Leaf indumentum hispid, hairs on upper surface sparsely distributed, antrorse, arcuate or erect. Hairs on the lower surface sparsely distributed, retrorse, arcuate or erect. Hairs arcuate or straight on margin. Petiole 26 – 40 × 1.4–1.8 mm, hispid, hairs erect, arcuate, antrorse or retrorse on margins. Flowering stem ascending, dark green to brown, 210.0 × 1.5–1.9 mm. Hairs, appressed, arcuate or erect, 0.8–2.1 mm long. Stem leaves elliptic-obovate, mucronulate, 15.3–35.4 × 6.4–14 mm, either shortly petiolate or sessile towards distal end of the inflorescence. Indumentum as for rosette leaves. Cyme with 15–31 flowers. Pedicel at fruiting, 2.5–2.9 mm. Calyx lobes lanceolate, 2.3–2.8 mm long, hairs inside calyx in upper half or along entire lobe. Fruiting calyx 2.7–2.8 mm long, hairs densely distributed, overlapping and hooked or straight. Corolla white with yellow scales, 3.8–4.8 mm across, lobes ovate, 2.0 × 1.6–1.8 mm; not overlapping, apex rounded or irregularly notched. Corolla tube 3 mm long. Stamens included within the corolla tube, with only the anther’s appendage above the scales. Filament attached below the scales. Anther 0.8 × 0.2 mm. Style 3 mm long, stigma clavate. Nutlet smooth, dark brown, ovoid to ellipsoid, 1.4 –1.5 × 0.7–0.9 mm, ventral surface keel.
Similar taxa
Myosotis mooreana is most similar to M. forsteri and M. brockiei. It differs from M. forsteri by its obovate rosette leaves; larger leaves at base of the cyme and smaller calyx at fruiting. It differs from M. brockiei by its smaller flowers (3.8–4.8 mm vs 9.0–10 mm); by its stamens which are included within the corolla tube; by its fruiting calyx furnished with a shorter pedicel (2.5–2.9 mm vs 3.6–4.3 mm); and by the hispid indumentum on leaves and petiole.
Flowering
January
Fruiting
January
Propagation technique
Unknown
Threats
Myosotis mooreana is currently known from only six individuals growing in a single site within the Kahurangi National Park. For this reason it has been listed as Nationally Critical by Lehnebach (2012).
Etymology
myosotis: Mouse-eared
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (5 September 2012). Description adapted from Lehnebach (2012)
References and further reading
Lehnebach, C.A. 2012: Two new species of forget-me-nots (Boraginaceae) from New Zealand. Phytokeys 16: 53-64. (doi: 10.3897/phytokeys.16.3602 www.phytokeys.com)
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Myosotis mooreana Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/myosotis-mooreana/ (Date website was queried)