Species

Myosotis suavis

Etymology

Myosotis: mouse-eared
suavis: Sweet

Common Name(s)

None known

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Data Deficient

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 - Data Deficient
2004 - Data Deficient

Authority

Myosotis suavis Petrie

Family

Boraginaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

MYOSUA

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.

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Synonyms

None

Distribution

Endemic. South Island, known from Westland, Canterbury, and Otago.

Habitat

Associated with rock outcrops, stony ground, and boulder field.

Features

Small, rossette forming, perennial herb. Leaves broadly obovate-spathulate 2-4 × 0.7-1.5 cm, tip rounded with a small emergent spine (mucronate), all parts but especially the leaf undersides very hairy. Hairs long, tapering, appressed, on undersides shorter. Lateral branches few, ascending up to 10 cm long. Upper stem leaves narrow-elliptic and stalkless, 1-2 × 0.3-1 cm, tip broadly acuminate, hairs numerous, long and silky, appressed. Inflorescences 2 cm long, simple or branched, terminal. Flowers without subtending bracts. Calyx 5-7(-8) mm, lobes > half length, obtuse, copiously covered in appressed often hooked hairs. Corolla white 5-7 mm diameter, tube 4-6 mm, funnel-like, lobes flat, rounded, 1.5-2.5 × 1.5-2.5 mm diameter, stamens with very short filaments, fixed immediately below corolla scales. Anthers 1.5 mm, projecting above rather large corolla scales.

Similar Taxa

Close to M. explanata but differing by its smaller size, calyces with crowded hairs, and smaller ( 7 mm) corollas.

Flowering

December to February

Flower Colours

White

Fruiting

No information available

Propagation Technique

Can be grown with difficulty from rooted pieces. Hard without specialist knowledge and an alpine house.

Threats

Very little is known about this species, beyond that it is rarely collected and seems to be genuinely scarce. Because so little is known about it, it has been listed as Data Deficient.

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No


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.

This page last updated on 17 Apr 2014