The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Myosotis petiolata

Etymology

Myosotis: mouse-eared
petiolata: having leaf-stalks

Common Name(s)

forget-me-not

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Threatened - Nationally Critical

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - Threatened - Nationally Critical
2004 - Threatened - Nationally Critical

Qualifiers

2012 - DP, RR, Sp
2009 - DP, RR, Sp

Authority

Myosotis petiolata Hook.f.

Family

Boraginaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Distribution

Endemic. New Zealand: North Island. Formerly recorded from several North Island Hawkes Bay (Allan 1961) localities and at one South Island site near Takaka, North West Nelson. A recent re-circumscription restricts M. petiolata to the eastern North Island where it is known now from only one site in the Te Waka Range, inland Hawkes Bay. Records from East Cape can be attributed to M. pottsiana (Meudt et al. 2013)

Habitat

Lowland to montane forest. Apparently confined to limestone outcrops and associated soils.

Features

Slender, tufted, bronzed-leaf perennial herb, forming rather open patches up to 1 m. Rosette leaves 8-15(-35) x 10(-25) mm, orbicular, apex apiculate, rarely retuse, borne on long, slender petioles; hairs short, stiff, straight and closely appressed, widely spaced, with longer fringing hairs on sheathing leaf-base. Lateral branches many, rather widely spaced, somewhat trailing, suberect to erect 50-100 mm long, producing offset rosettes; internodes = or > than leaf length. Stem-leaves narrowly oval, upper ones sessile, apiculate, hairs as for rosette leaves. Inflorescence a simple, many-flowered cyme, 40-120 mm long. Calyx 1.5-2(-3) mm, lobes cut almost to base, narrowly acute, spreading in fruit; hairs sparse, short, stiff, like those on leaves. Corolla white, 6-8 mm diam., tube flaring widely, corolla lobes oblong, spreading, scales about level to calyx-tips; filaments long. anthers prominently exserted beyond corolla; style up to 3 x calyx length in fruit. No description of nutlets is known.

Similar Taxa

M. petiolata is most likely to be confused with M. forsteri, and non-flowering M. spathulata, two species which are superficially similar and can grow in similar habitats. From both M. petiolata can be easily separated by its much larger flowers which have prominently exserted anthers and the often brownish leaf colouration. Field recognition: forming loose brownish coloured patches in which individual rosettes are difficult to distinguish

Flowering

November - February

Flower Colours

White,Yellow

Fruiting

Unknown

Propagation Technique

Can be grown with difficulty from rooted pieces and fresh seed. Requires specialist knowledge and care to maintain. Tends to be rather short-lived.

Threats

Based on herbarium specimens and a preliminary examination of the few wild populations known, M. petiolata would appear to be a biologically sparse entity favouring base-rich substrates. Because there are few plants known from the wild, little is known about this plants ecology, and it may be vulnerable to weed invasions it is currently classified as Nationally Critical.

Chromosome No.

2n = c.36

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 19 Dec 2014