Species

Myosotis drucei

Etymology

Myosotis: mouse-eared
drucei: after A.P. Druce, one of New Zealand's most respected field botanists

Common Name(s)

Druce's forget-me-not

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

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 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Myosotis drucei (L.B.Moore) de Lange et Barkla

Family

Boraginaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

MYODRU

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

Myosotis pygmaea var. drucei L.B.Moore

Distribution

Endemic. North, South, Stewart and Campbell Islands. From Mt. Hikurangi south through the main axial ranges to Fiordland, also on Banks Peninsula on the high points of Stewart Island. Evidently very uncommon on Campbell Island.

Habitat

Subalpine to alpine. Usually on stabile scree, fellfield, stony ground and at the bases of rock tors in places subject to frequent immersion

Features

Decumbent, annual or rarely short-lived perennial herb, forming small circular patches on open ground. Rosette-leaves 15 × 5 mm long (sometimes more), lamina obovate or broadly spathulate, obtuse, petiole broad; upper surface hairy except towards base, undersurface almost or quite glabrous, hairs of upper leaf surface tapering to soft ± flexuous tips; spreading Lateral branches up to 8, decumbent, 30-150 mm long, usually branched, internodes usually less than leaves. Stem-leaves similar to rosette-leaves near base, becoming sessile above, bracts ovate to broad-oblong, distichous, exceeding internodes, diminishing in size, the lowest up to 10 × 5 mm. Cymes usually simple, few- to many-flowered, bracteate throughout; internodes usually less than bracts, sometimes very short; pedicels much smaller than calyx, very hairy. Calyx 3-5 mm long, usually lobed to halfway, lobes subacute; hairs long and ± retrorse short, not stiff or hooked. Corolla 3.0 mm diameter, cream to lemon-coloured, tube 2-3 mm long, cylindric, lobes narrow with obtuse tip; filaments very short, anthers < 1 mm long, wholly included, tips occasionally reaching level of scales; style less than calyx in length, stigma capitate. Nutlet 1.1-1.7 × 0.8-1.0 mm, ovate to ovate-elliptic, black, usually well immersed within calyx remnant.

Flowering

November - February

Flower Colours

Cream,Yellow

Fruiting

December - April

Propagation Technique

Easily grown from fresh seed. However, plants are short-lived and prone to fungal diseases in humid climates.

Threats

Not Threatened. However like most indigenous Myosotis this species is not that common either. There are no known threats facing the species.

Chromosome No.

2n = 44

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

Not commercially available.

Taxonomic Notes

Myosotis pygmaea var. drucei was elevated to species rank by de Lange and Barkla in de Lange, et al. (2010).

Attribution

Fact Sheet Prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 30 August 2009. Description adapted from 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.

This page last updated on 1 Jan 2014