Myosotis traversii var. cantabrica
Common name
Travers’ forget-me-not
Synonyms
None
Family
Boraginaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
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
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 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Endemic. South Island. East of the main divide from mid-Canterbury southwards.
Habitat
Subalpine to alpine. In scree and on rock up to 2100 m.
Features
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 var. cantabrica differs from M. traversii var. traversii by the presence of numerous hooked (uncinate hairs) on the leaf undersurface. Myosotis traversii var. cinerascens is distinguished from var. cantabrica by the short, smoothly appressed leaf hairs and elongated (rather than capitate) fruiting inflorescence. However, as noted by de Lange et al. (2010) intergrading forms between var. cantabrica and var. cinerascens occur at Prebble Hill and Cave Creek and it is quite possible that var. cinerascens is at one extreme of the natural variation exhibited by var. cantabrica. Further research into the status of these two varieties is urgently needed.
Flowering
November - February
Flower colours
White
Fruiting
February - March
Propagation technique
Unknown. Likely to be difficult. Probably best grown in an alpine house or rock garden
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.
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (1 February 2008). Description based on Allan (1961).
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Goverment Printer, Wellington.
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.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Myosotis traversii var. cantabrica Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/myosotis-traversii-var-cantabrica/ (Date website was queried)