Myosotis traversii subsp. cantabrica
Common names
Travers’ forget-me-not
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
White
Detailed description
Tufted perennial herb dying back to rootstock in winter. Rosettes one or several, leaves spathulate, 20-70 × 4-9 mm, petiole broad and ill-defined; leaves hairy, those of adaxial surface notably longer than abaxial, curved and not obscuring epidermis; those of the abaxial surface sparser, shorted and finer, mostly retrorse. Lateral branches ascending or erect, up to 150 mm long, internodes usually < leaves. Upper stem-leaves 12-20 mm long, oblong with rounded tips, hairs crowded on both surfaces, those of the abaxial surface longer, stouter and strongly hooked. Cyme compound, usually ebracteate, 8-flowered, capitate (even in fruit), carried 10-20 mm above leaves in fruit; internodes and pedicels very short. Calyx up to 5 mm long in flower, lobes cut to half calyx length, subacute; short appressed hairs covering whole surface closely, long spreading coarse hairs scattered and conspicuously hooked. Corolla white, c.4 mm diameter, tube c.5 mm long, cylindric, lobes c.1·5 × 1·3 mm, rounded; filaments very short, anthers c.1·2 mm long, with tips projecting above well-developed scales; style usually much > calyx in fruit, stigma capitate. Nutlet 1.4-2.3 × 0.8-1.3 mm, ovate or ovate-elliptic, black.
Similar taxa
Myosotis traversii subsp. cantabrica differs from M. traversii subsp. traversii by the presence of numerous hooked (uncinate hairs) on the leaf undersurface.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island. East of the main divide from mid-Canterbury southwards.
Habitat
Subalpine to alpine. In scree and on rock up to 2100 m.
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.
2017 | Not Threatened
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Myosotis traversii var. cantabrica (L.B.Moore) Meudt.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November - February
Fruiting
February - March
Propagation technique
Unknown. Likely to be difficult. Probably best grown in an alpine house or rock garden
Other information
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Etymology
myosotis: Mouse-eared
traversii: Named after William Thomas Locke Travers (1819-1903) who was an Irish lawyer, magistrate, politician, explorer, naturalist, photographer. He lived in New Zealand from 1849 and was a fellow of the Linnean Society.
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.
MYOTVC
Chromosome number
2n = 48
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.
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
Otago: 2024 | At Risk – Regionally Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DPT, NR, NS, Sp
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 “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Goverment Printer, Wellington.
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 traversii subsp. cantabrica Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/myosotis-traversii-subsp-cantabrica/ (Date website was queried)