MYOSOTIDIUM 



MYOSOTIS 



2091 



Myosotidium differs from Myosotis in its greater size, 

 mostly large radical Ivs., and large winged nutlets. 

 M. nobile, Hook. (Cynoglossum nobile, Hook, f.), is a 

 stout pilose perennial with long thick cylindrical root- 

 stock, succulent, 1-3 ft. high: radical Ivs. broadly ovate- 

 cordate or nearly reniform, petioled, thick and fleshy, 

 6-12 in. long, but becoming much larger under good 

 conditions in cult. ; cauline Ivs. few, oblong or broad- 

 ovate, sessile: fls. scentless, dark blue in center and 

 lighter toward the edges (a white-fld. form is reported) 

 in dense corymbose cymes which are 3-6 in. across; 

 calyx deeply 5-parted, the lobes broad-oblong and 

 obtuse; corolla rotate, ^in. diam., the tube short and 

 the rounded lobes spreading: fr. to Min. diam. Sandy 

 soil near the sea "once very abundant on the coast-line 

 of the Chatham Isls.," according to Cheeseman, "but 

 now fast becoming rare in a wild state." B.M. 5137. 

 Gn. 30:566; 50, p. 150; 71, p. 143; 75, p. 580. G.C. 

 II. 25:681; III. 21:293; 44:7; 54:47. G.M. 31:219; 

 52:87. J.H. III. 32:327. G. 32:355. R.H. 1908, pp. 

 370, 371. In the south of England near the sea the 

 plant thrives well, making fl. -heads 8 in. across, and 

 with foliage as strong as that of rhubarb; it needs to 

 be renewed from seeds. It is reported not to have suc- 

 ceeded at Santa Barbara. L H. B. 



MYOSOTIS (Greek, signifying mouse-ear, from the 

 leaves). Boragindcese. FORGET-ME-NOT. SCORPION 

 GRASS. A large group of low perennial or annual, more 

 or less hairy, branching, diffuse or erect herbs, inhabit- 

 ing both the North and South Temperate zones, but the 

 cultivated forms coming mainly from Europe. 



Leaves alternate, entire: fls. small, in 1-sided, bract- 

 less, at first recurved, terminal racemes; calyx small, 

 5-cleft; corolla salverform, 5-lobed, the throat crested; 

 stamens 5, included; ovary of 4 almost separate lobes, 

 in fr. forming 4 smooth nutlets attached to the recep- 

 tacle by then 1 bases. Thirty to 40 species. 



The following are all hardy at the North and are 

 grown in America mainly for out-of-door planting. The 

 flowers are normally blue, often purple when young and 

 turning blue with age. White-flowered forms of all the 

 species may occur. Forget-me-nots prefer moist half- 

 shady places, but an open sunny border will do if it is 

 not excessively dry. The perennials are easily propa- 

 gated by division or cuttings. Forget-me-nots of gardens 

 (mostly M. sylvatica and M. alpestris) are spring-flower- 

 ing, making a good combination with hyacinths, tulips 

 and pansies, although they make attractive masses by 

 themselves. Seeds may be sown from spring to August 

 for the next season's bloom; the plants should have 

 protection in winter. Early-started plants may be 

 used for forcing in a cool greenhouse. Renew the out- 

 door plants often. 



A. Hairs of the calyx all straight, appressed: perennials. 

 B. St. and Ivs. densely setose-hispid with reflexed hairs. 

 azorica, H. C. Wats. Decumbent at the base and dif- 

 fusely branched, 1 ft. high, densely setose-hispid, with 

 reflexed hairs: Ivs. oblong, obtuse or retuse, appressed 

 hairy above, hirsute with reflexed hairs below: racemes 

 sub-secund, dense; calyx almost 5-parted; teeth linear, 

 spreading, clothed with erect, appressed hairs; pedicel 

 about equaling the calyx; corolla larger than in P. 

 laxa, 3-3% lines broad, deeper indigo-blue; throat with 

 a whitish eye. Azores. B.M. 4122. V. 6:75. J.F. 4: 

 340. Suitable for planting in damp, shady soil. Var. 

 ccelestina, Hort., is a form with light blue fls. 



BB. St. and Ivs. strigose pubescent or glabrous. 



c. Infl. not leafy: st. angled. 

 D. Calyx toothed above: fls. large. 

 scorpioides, Linn. (M. palustris, Lam.). TRUE FOR- 

 GET-ME-NOT of Europe. Sts. from slender, stolon-like 

 rootstocks, slender, decumbent, and rooting below, 

 appressed pubescent or nearly glabrous, 6-18 in. long: 



Ivs. oblong-lanceolate or oblanceolate, nearly sessile: 

 raceme loosely-fld.; pedicels in fr. much longer than the 

 calyx, spreading; lobes of the calyx deltoid, acutish; 

 corolla bright blue, with a yellow eye, limb flat, 3-4: 

 lines broad: nutlets angled and keeled on the inner 

 side. May, June. Eu., Asia. G.C. III. 22:307. Gn. 52, 

 p. 461. G.Z. 6:144 (var. Goeppingeri) . G. 35:489. 

 Requires damp, shady ground. Escaped from cult, in 

 the eastern states. Var. semperfldrens, Hort., is a 

 dwarf form, 8 in. high, flowering all summer. 



DD. Calyx lobed to the middle or below: fls. small. 

 laxa, Lehm. Similar to the preceding species, and 

 also rooting at the lower nodes, pubescence all appressed 

 and scanty or wanting: racemes even more loosely-fld.; 



calyx-lobes much 

 longer, ovate-lan- 

 ceolate, acute; co- 

 rolla-limb smaller 

 and concave, 

 about 2 lines 

 broad, paler blue; 

 throat yellow : 

 nutlets equally 

 convex both sides. 

 May, June. N. 

 Eu., Asia, Amer. 

 Grows best in 

 muddy places. 



cc. Infl. leafy to- 

 ward the base: 

 st. terete. 

 cespitdsa, 

 Schultz (M. Reh- 

 stdneri, Wartm.). 

 Plant appressed- 

 hairy: st. erect, 

 terete or with 

 short decurrent 

 lines below Ivs. : 

 rootstocks short 

 and clustered: Ivs. 

 linear-oblong: ra- 

 ceme obtuse,leafy- 

 bracted among 

 lower fls. ; pedicels 

 longer than 5-cleft 

 calyx; corolla 

 small, 2 lines 

 diam. Swamps 

 and inundated 

 places. Summer. 

 Eu. Very similar 



to M. laxa but said to have more terete st., more 



pubescence and longer pedicels. 



AA. Hairs of the calyx, or at least some of them, hooked 



and spreading: annuals, biennials or perennials. 

 B. Corolla small, about 1 line broad; limb concave; calyx- 

 hairs nearly all hooked. 



arvensis, Lam. Annual or biennial, erect, branched, 

 7-20 in. high, hirsute-pubescent: Ivs. oblong or oblan- 

 ceolate, sessile, obtuse or acutish: raceme loosely-fld.; 

 pedicels in fr. much longer than the calyx; calyx deeply 

 5-parted; lobes equal, linear, acutish; corolla blue or 

 white, 1-13/2 lines broad: nutlet convex outside, keeled 

 inside. June-Aug. Eu., Asia. Will grow well in dry 

 ground. 



BB. Corolla larger, 8-4 lines broad; limb flat: calyx with 

 only the lower hairs hooked. 



c. Nutlets sessile: plant hirsute and often cinereous. 

 D. Pedicels 1^-2 times length of calyx: plant 1-2 ft. high. 



sylvatica, Hoffm. Fig. 2421. Perennial, hirsute-pubes- 

 cent, green or cinereous, erect, 1-2 ft. high, branched 



2421. Myosotis sylvatica. 



