The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Myosotis tenericaulis

Etymology

Myosotis: mouse-eared

Common Name(s)

None known

Current Conservation Status

2012 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon

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 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
2004 - Sparse

Qualifiers

2012 - DP, Sp
2009 - DP

Authority

Myosotis tenericaulis Petrie

Family

Boraginaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

MYOTEN

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Synonyms

Myosotis tenuis G.Simpson et J.S.Thomson

Distribution

Endemic. North, South and Stewart Islands. In the North Island apaprently confined to the north-western Ruahine Range. In the South Island locally distributed from Nelson to Southland though apparently absent from Westland, Marlborough and Canterbury. Also on Stewart island. This species is easily overlooked.

Habitat

Lowland to alpine (0-1400 m a.s.l.). Upper montane to alpine in the North Island, otherwise as stated. Usually on the margins of slow flowing streams, in muddy ground, on the margins of small, ephemeral pools, in wet ground at the bases of tall tussocks, in shaded sites within forests overlying poorly drained alluvium, an din alpine flushes, seepages and cushion bogs.

Features

Decumbent, green or bronze, sprawling to weakly ascending, slender, perennial herb forming roughly circular to assymetrical diffuse patches up to 200 mm diameter. Adventitious roots frequently produced along weakly ascending partially buried or creeping stem, or adventitious roots absent. Lateral branches 1-10 (or more), weak and somewhat flaccid, occasionally producing new rosettes where touching the ground, some branching again and on occasion flowering. Rosette-leaves obvious, or not very obvious due to creeping stem, these 6-12 x 3-6 mm, elliptic to broadly oval, gradually narrowing to slender petioles up to 40 mm long; hairs of lamina short, closely appressed, mostly evenly though sparsely covering upper surface, undersides glabrescent. Flowering branches 20-400 mm long, internodes distinctly longer than leaves; petioles becoming progressively shorter in upper cauline leaves; bracts sub- to sessile; other similar in shape and indument to rosette and basal stem leaves. Inflorescences cymose; cymes elongated, simple or branched, several-flowered, internodes long, flowers solitary, bract opposed or noticeably belwo bract. Pedicels 1-10 mm long in fruit. Calyx 1.5-3.5(-4) mm, lobes > 1/2 calyx length, narrow, acute, hairs short, appressed, evenly though sparsely distributed. Corolla 3-4 mm diameter, white sometimes with a yellow throat; tube 2 mm long, cylindric; lobes 1 x 1 mm, rounded; filaments almost wanting, anthers < 1 mm long, yellow, included within tube; style up to 4 mm long, stigma capitate. Nutlets projecting from short, widely open calyx, 1.2-1.6 x 0.8-0.9 mm, ovate-elliptic to elliptic, apex obtuse, base rounded margins slightly winged.

Similar Taxa

Recognised by corolla up to 4 mm diameter, more or less concave, narrow lobes; anthers (< 1 mm long) which are included within or just protrude from the floral tube, and very short, scarcely exserted stigma. The calyces are lobed to about half their length, with the lobes spreading and erect in fruit. In this species the calyx hairs are sparse, but evenly distributed, distinctly spreading, and of uniform length, while the indument of the petioles, internodes and pedicels is similar but much longer. Frequently confused with M. spathulata, which is usually a larger plant whose leaf base rapidly narrows to the petiole, bracts (at least lower ones) and leaves are often orbicular with erect hairs on the undersurfaces, and the hairs on the calyx and stems are distinctly erect and sometimes more or less hooked. Furthermore the stigma is clavate rather than capitate. The amount of stigma projection is not a good character for separating these two distinct species.

Flowering

November - March

Flower Colours

White,Yellow

Fruiting

November - April

Propagation Technique

Difficult as tends to be short-lived and does not self-sow very well. Prone to fungal diseases and dislikes humidity. An attractive pot plant for an alpine house.

Threats

An apparently naturally uncommon, biological sparse species. It may be threatened in some parts of its range through competition from weeds. Clarification of its conservation status is needed.

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 17 Apr 2014