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Myosotis arvensis

Myosotis arvensis or field forget-me-not is a herbaceous annual to short lived perennial flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae. It is native to Europe, Turkey, the Caucasus, Siberia, the western Himalayas, and northwestern Africa.[1]

Clive Stace describes this plant as having the following characteristics:[2]: 564 

  • Upright, to 40 centimetres (16 in); softly hairy, with hairs at more-or-less right-angles to the stem.
  • Flowers grey-blue, 3–5 millimetres (1⁄8–13⁄64 in) across, saucer shaped in profile; sepal tube with hooked hairs; April–October.[3]: 208 
  • Mature fruit dark brown, shiny.
  • Mature calyx on spreading stalks longer than sepal tube; calyx teeth conceal the ripe fruit.
  • Basal leaves stalked, in a rosette; upper leaves not stalked.
  • Generally found on open, well drained ground; common throughout the British Isles.

Two subspecies and one variety are accepted.[1]

  • Myosotis arvensis subsp. arvensis – Europe to Siberia, Turkey, the Caucasus, Western Himalayas, and northwestern Africa
  • Myosotis arvensis var. garciasii O.Bolòs & Vigo – Balearic Islands
  • Myosotis arvensis subsp. umbrata (Rouy) O.Schwartz – western and southern Europe from Norway to Italy, Portugal, the British Isles, and Iceland, and Romania
  • General view
    General view
  • Flower head
    Flower head
  • Close up of flower; the background squares are 5mm across
    Close up of flower; the background squares are 5mm across
  • Close up showing sepal tube; the background squares are 5 millimetres (13⁄64 in) across
    Close up showing sepal tube; the background squares are 5 millimetres (13⁄64 in) across
  • Mature fruit - side 1; the background squares are 5 millimetres (13⁄64 in) across
    Mature fruit - side 1; the background squares are 5 millimetres (13⁄64 in) across
  • Mature fruit - side 2; the background squares are 5 millimetres (13⁄64 in) across
    Mature fruit - side 2; the background squares are 5 millimetres (13⁄64 in) across
  • Mature calyx showing fruit is hidden inside; the background squares are 5 millimetres (13⁄64 in) across
    Mature calyx showing fruit is hidden inside; the background squares are 5 millimetres (13⁄64 in) across
  • Mature calyx showing calyx stalk longer than sepal tube; the background squares are 5 millimetres (13⁄64 in) across
    Mature calyx showing calyx stalk longer than sepal tube; the background squares are 5 millimetres (13⁄64 in) across
  • Close up showing non-basal leaf
    Close up showing non-basal leaf

References

  1. ^ a b c d {{cite web |title=Myosotis arvensis (L.) Hill |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:118914-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=[[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=12 February 2025}}
  2. ^ Stace, Clive (2011). New Flora of the British Isles (Third ed.). cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521707725.
  3. ^ Blamey, M.; Fitter, R.; Fitter, A (2003). Wild flowers of Britain and Ireland: The Complete Guide to the British and Irish Flora. London: A & C Black. ISBN 978-1408179505.