346 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



Boraginaceae. 



The Borage Family. 



Distribution. — A large family, found chiefly in temperate regions. It is 

 represented in New Zealand by three genera only. The rough, bristly leaves 

 were considered by Linnaeus to be so characteristic of the family, as to allow of 

 his giving to it the name of Asperifolia or Rougli-leaved Plants. The economic uses 

 of the family are unimportant, but the flowers of many of the species are of a 

 most beautiful blue colour. Myosotis palustris, the Water Forget-me-not, is one 

 of the best known plants of the order. 



Key to the Genera. 



Nuts large. Myosotidium, p. 347. 



Nuts minute. Myosotis, 13.346. 



Genus Myosotis. 



About 30 species in all. Herbs, annual or perennial. Root-leaves stalked ; 

 stem-leaves sessile. Flowers in racemes. Calyx 5-lobed ; corolla 5-lobed ; mouth 

 partly closed by 5 small scales. Nuts shining. 4 sp. 



The genus Exarrhena, formerly considered distinct, is now 

 included in Myosotis. The forget-me-nots of New Zealand 

 are little likely to give rise to such a wealth of romance and 

 poetry, as that which clusters about the European species. 

 Myosotis ca2)itata, best known from the Auckland Islands, is 

 the only one of a deep blue colour, and even a white form of it 

 is known. M. australis and M. unifiora have, strange to say, 

 yellow flowers. Those of M. viacrantha are purple or white. 

 The flowers of the remaining species are generally insignificant 

 and without any depth of colouring. 



Myosotis spathulata {The Spatludate-leaved Myosotis). 

 A weak, prostrate herb. Leaves ^in. long, slighth' rough. Flowers Jin. 

 across, solitary, white, with a yellow eye. Both islands : in stony places. 



Myosotis capitata {The Capitate Myosotis). 



A robust plant, 6 in. -18 in. high. Leaves softly hairy, with broad petioles. 

 Flowers in dense racemes, blue or purple, ^ in. long. South Island : Otago. 

 Auckland Islands. The specific name has reference to the fact that the 

 flowers are crowded together, so as almost to form heads like those of the 

 Composites. 



