232 MYOSOTIS. [class v. order 1. 



five flat obtuse lobes, tube sliort, its oritice nearly closed with 

 sraooth loinuled scales. Nuts smooth. — Name from jj.v^, /xuoj, 

 a mouse ; and onj, wtoj, an ear ; from the supposed resemblance 

 of the leaves to the ear of a mouse. 



* Hairs of the calyx straight, close pressed. 



1. M, palus'lris, With. (Fig. 310.) (/reat Water Scorpio7i-(/rass, or 

 Forget Ale Not. Calyx five-cleft, when in fruit campanulate, open, 

 shorter than the divergent pedicle, limb of the corolla flat, longer than 

 the tube, pubescence of the stem spreading, or absent. 



English Botany, t. 1973. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 250.— Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 101. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. l(io. — Myosotis 

 scorpioides, ^.palnstris, Linn. Sp. PI. vol. i. p. 188. 



Hoot creeping. Stem from one to two feet high, succulent, round, 

 or slightly angular, erect or reclining at the base, mostly branched, 

 clothed more or less abundantly with soft spreading hairs, or sometimes 

 it is quite smooth, on the upper part of the stem and 'Stalks of the 

 racemes close pressed. Leares oblong lanceolate, the lower tapering 

 at the base into a broad footstalk, obtuse, sometimes ovate or ovate- 

 lanceohite, the upper narrower, longer, tapering towards the extremity, 

 or acutely lanceolate, sessile, and frequently slightly decurrent, form- 

 ing a slight angle some way down the stem, all with a rather strong 

 mid-rib, and a more or less distinct marginal one running from the 

 base, and uniting again at the extreme point, where it is mostly termi- 

 nated with a hard point bristly, and scattered over equally on both 

 sides more or less profusely with soft white depressed hairs pointing 

 upwards, except on the margin and footstalks they are spreading. 

 Injlorescencc terminal, racemes single, or mostly in pairs, \\ith a single 

 flower from the axis of divarication; this, though general, is not con- 

 stant; sometimes it is acc'';n; :!Tiird by a small lanceolate leaf. At 

 first the raceuicj aic rolled iu and crowded, but as the flowers 

 gradually expand, they become more distant from each other. 

 Flou-ers numerous, arranged in two rows, alternate on pedicles, at first 

 very short and erect; but after flowering elongate, becoming longer 

 than the calyx, patent and curved downwards. Calyx bell-shaped, 

 rounded at the base, scattered over with close pressed hairs, limb 

 divide! about one-third its depth into five broad acute segments, each 

 having a distinct mid-rib, and two scarcely distinguished lateral ones 

 uniting in a callous point like the leaves, open when in fruit. Corolla, 

 when in bud, a delicate pink, /«/»(■ short, yellow, its orifice nearly closed 

 by five obtuse yellow scales, the li7nb of five rounded or slightly emar- 

 ginated lobes, flat, a beautiful blue colour, with a white line from the 

 base of each lobe. 67flHic»« alternating with the scales at the orifice 

 of the tube. Pistil about the length of the tube of the corolla. Stigma 

 capitate. Fruit four. Nuts smooth, compressed before, obtuse be- 

 hind, with a slight edge, the base obtuse, with a minute perforation. 



