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Myosotis

{{short description|Genus of flowering plants in the borage family Boraginaceae}}

{{About||muscle inflammation|Myositis}}

{{redirect|Forget me not}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Myosotis arvensis ois.JPG

| image_caption = Myosotis arvensis

| taxon = Myosotis

| authority = L. (1753)

| type_species = Myosotis scorpioides

| type_species_authority = L. {{cite journal |author=Lehnebach, C.|author-link=Carlos Adolfo Lehnebach |year=2012 |title=Lectotypification of three species of forget-me-nots (Myosotis: Boraginaceae) from Australasia |journal=Tuhinga |volume=23 |pages=17–28 |url=http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/publication.aspx?irn=3733}}

| synonyms =

  • Echioides {{small|Moench (1794), nom. illeg.}}
  • Exarrhena {{small|R.Br. (1810)}}
  • Gymnomyosotis {{small|(A.DC.) O.D.Nikif. (2000)}}
  • Scorpioides {{small|Gilib. (1782), not validly publ.}}
  • Scorpiurus {{small|Haller (1768), nom. superfl.}}
  • Strophiostoma {{small|Turcz. (1840)}}

| synonyms_ref =

}}

Myosotis ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|m|aɪ|ə|ˈ|s|oʊ|t|ɪ|s}} {{respell|MY|ə|SOH|tiss}}{{OED|Myosotis}}) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae. The name comes from the Ancient Greek {{lang|grc|μυοσωτίς}} "mouse's ear", which the foliage is thought to resemble.{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Forget-me-not |volume=10 |page=663}} In the Northern Hemisphere, they are colloquially known as forget-me-nots or scorpion grasses.{{Cite web |title=Water forget-me-not {{!}} The Wildlife Trusts |url=https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/water-forget-me-not |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=www.wildlifetrusts.org |language=en}} Myosotis alpestris is the official flower of Alaska{{cite web| publisher=State of Alaska| title=Alaska Kid's Corner| access-date=21 May 2016| url=http://alaska.gov/kids/student.htm}} and Dalsland, Sweden. Plants of the genus are not to be confused with Chatham Islands' forget-me-nots, which belong to the related genus Myosotidium.

Description

The genus was originally described by Carl Linnaeus. The type species is Myosotis scorpioides. Myosotis species are annual or perennial, herbaceous, flowering plants with pentamerous actinomorphic flowers with five sepals and petals. Flowers are typically {{convert|1|cm|in|frac=2|abbr=on}} in diameter or less, flatly faced, coloured typically blue, but sometimes pink, white or yellow with yellow centres and borne on scorpioid cymes. Their foliage is alternate, and their roots are generally diffuse. They typically flower in spring or soon after the melting of snow in alpine ecosystems.

File:Wald Vergissmeinnicht.jpg]]

The seeds are contained in small, tulip-shaped pods along the stem to the flower. The pods attach to clothing when brushed against and eventually fall off, leaving the small seed within the pod to germinate elsewhere. Seeds can be collected by placing a sheet of paper under stems and shaking the seed pods onto the paper.

Myosotis scorpioides is colloquially called scorpion grass because of the spiraling curvature of its inflorescence.

Distribution

The genus is largely restricted to western Eurasia, with over 60 confirmed species,{{Cite web |title=Name > I - N > Myosotis - Beth Chatto's Plants & Gardens |url=https://www.bethchatto.co.uk/a-z/i-n/myosotis/ |access-date=2024-05-27 |website=www.bethchatto.co.uk}} and New Zealand with around 40 endemic species.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nzflora.info/factsheet/Taxon/Myosotis.html|title=Flora of New Zealand | Taxon Profile | Myosotis|website=www.nzflora.info}} A few species occur elsewhere, including North America, South America, and Papua New Guinea. Despite this, Myosotis species are now common throughout temperate latitudes because of the introduction of cultivars and alien species. Many are popular in horticulture. They prefer moist habitats. In locales where they are not native, they frequently escape to wetlands and riverbanks.

One or two European species, especially Myosotis sylvatica, the "woodland" forget-me-not, have been introduced into most of the temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Genetic analysis indicates that the genus originated in the Northern Hemisphere, and that species native to New Zealand, Australia, New Guinea, and South America form a lineage of closely related species that are likely derived from a single dispersal event to the Southern Hemisphere.{{cite journal|last1=Winkworth|first1=Richard C.|last2=Grau|first2=Jürke|last3=Robertson|first3=Alastair W.|last4=Lockhart|first4=Peter J.|year=2002|title=The Origins and Evolution of the Genus Myosotis L. (Boraginaceae)|url=http://phylodiversity.net/rwinkworth/publications/files/3.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023061849/http://phylodiversity.net/rwinkworth/publications/files/3.pdf|url-status=usurped|archive-date=23 October 2013|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|volume=24|issue=2|pages=180–93|doi=10.1016/S1055-7903(02)00210-5|pmid=12144755|bibcode=2002MolPE..24..180W }}{{Cite journal|last1=Meudt|first1=Heidi M.|last2=Prebble|first2=Jessica M.|last3=Lehnebach|first3=Carlos A.|date=7 November 2014|title=Native New Zealand forget-me-nots (Myosotis, Boraginaceae) comprise a Pleistocene species radiation with very low genetic divergence|journal=Plant Systematics and Evolution|volume=301|issue=5|pages=1455–1471|doi=10.1007/s00606-014-1166-x|s2cid=14686750|issn=0378-2697}}

Ecology

File:Hover Fly feeding on forget-me-not flower 2.jpg) feeding on a Myosotis flower]]

Myosotis species are food for the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including the setaceous Hebrew character. Many of the species in New Zealand are threatened.{{Cite journal|author-link=Carlos Adolfo Lehnebach|last=Lehnebach|first=Carlos A.|date=21 August 2012|title=Two new species of forget-me-nots (Myosotis, Boraginaceae) from New Zealand|journal=PhytoKeys|issue=16|pages=53–64|doi=10.3897/phytokeys.16.3602|pmc=3492931|pmid=23233811 |doi-access=free }}

Taxonomy

Of more than 510 recorded species names, only 156 species are presently accepted, listed below.{{cite web |work=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |title=Myosotis L. |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30010296-2 | access-date=1 September 2022 }} The remainder are either synonyms or hybrids of presently accepted or proposed names.{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldfloraonline.org/|title=Home|website=www.worldfloraonline.org|access-date=24 November 2019}}

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Gallery

File:Myosotis scorpioides LC0184.jpg|Myosotis scorpioides

File:Myosotis eximia Flowers MRD Otari.jpg|Myosotis eximia

File:Myosotis colensoi.jpg|Myosotis colensoi

File:Myosotis pulvinaris 2.jpg|Myosotis pulvinaris

File:Myosotis pansa kz1.jpg|Myosotis pansa

File:Blue forget-me-nots.jpg|Myosotis sylvatica

File:P1050373 Alpine forget-me-not (Myosotis alpestris) in Kharta Chu side valley, Tibet Thu 20 July 2006.jpg|Myosotis alpestris

Symbolism

The small, blue forget-me-not flower was first used by the Grand Lodge Zur Sonne, in 1926, as a Masonic emblem at the annual convention in Bremen, Germany. In 1938, a forget-me-not badge—made by the same factory as the Masonic badge—was chosen for the annual Nazi Party Winterhilfswerk, the annual charity drive of the National Socialist People's Welfare, the welfare branch of the Nazi party. This coincidence enabled Freemasons to wear the forget-me-not badge as a secret sign of membership.{{Cite web|url=http://www.internetloge.de/arst/forgetd.htm|title=Das Vergissmeinnicht-Abzeichen und die Freimaurerei|website=www.internetloge.de|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502130221/http://www.internetloge.de/arst/forgetd.htm|archive-date=2 May 2019|url-status=live|access-date=21 July 2019}}{{Better source needed|date=August 2019|reason=Article directly references Wikipedia as a source. One or multiple of its non-Wikipedia sources (also listed) should therefore be cited instead.}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/bernheim3.html|title="The Blue Forget-Me-Not": Another Side of the Story|last=Bernheim|first=Alain|website=Pietre-Stones Review of Freemasonry|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190130081218/http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/bernheim3.html|archive-date=30 January 2019|url-status=live|access-date=21 July 2019}}

After World War II, the forget-me-not flower was used again as a Masonic emblem in 1948 at the first Annual Convention of the United Grand Lodges of Germany. The badge is now worn in the coat lapel by Freemasons around the world to remember all who suffered in the name of Freemasonry, especially those during the Nazi era.{{Cite web|url=https://www.masonicnetwork.org/blog/2009/the-story-behind-forget-me-not-emblem/|title=The Story Behind Forget Me Not Emblem!|date=11 December 2009|website=Masonic Network Blog|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404181931/https://www.masonicnetwork.org/blog/2009/the-story-behind-forget-me-not-emblem/|archive-date=4 April 2019|url-status=live|access-date=21 July 2019}}

The flower is also used as a symbol of remembrance by the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is used to commemorate those from the province who were killed in the First World War, and worn around July 1.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}}

It is also used in Germany to commemorate the fallen soldiers of the world wars in a similar manner to the use of remembrance poppies in the UK.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}}

The flower is also the symbol for the Armenian genocide's 100th anniversary. The design of the flower is a black dot symbolising the past, and the suffering of Armenian people. The light purple appendages symbolise the present, and unity of Armenians. The five purple petals symbolise the future, and the five continents to which Armenians escaped. The yellow in the centre symbolises eternity, and the Tsitsernakaberd itself symbolises the 12 provinces lost to Turkey.{{cite web|url=https://armenpress.am/arm/news/763343/hayoc-cexaspanutyan-100-rd-tarelici-khorhrdanishy-anmoruk.html|title=Հայոց ցեղասպանության 100-րդ տարելիցի խորհրդանիշը անմոռուկ ծաղիկն է, կարգախոսը՝ "Հիշում եմ և պահանջում"|website=www.armenpress.am|date=26 May 2014 |language=hy|publisher=Armenpress|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528102523/https://armenpress.am/arm/news/763343/hayoc-cexaspanutyan-100-rd-tarelici-khorhrdanishy-anmoruk.html|archive-date=28 May 2014|url-status=live|access-date=28 February 2021}}

In Lithuania, the flower has become one of the symbols for the commemoration of the January events of 1991.{{Cite web|date=4 February 2020|title=Flower of discord: Lithuanian politicians clash over forget-me-not symbol|url=https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1139258/flower-of-discord-lithuanian-politicians-clash-over-forget-me-not-symbol|access-date=15 June 2021|website=lrt.lt|language=en}}

In the Netherlands, the forget-me-not has become a symbol for Alzheimer Nederland, a foundation advocating for people suffering from dementia.

In New Zealand, the forget-me-not is the symbol for Alzheimers New Zealand, the foundation advocating for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia.{{Cite web|title=Home|url=https://alzheimers.org.nz/|access-date=15 June 2021|website=Alzheimers New Zealand|language=en}}

In the United Kingdom, many health settings make use of the forget-me-not as a symbol to highlight that someone has dementia; it may be placed on notes, bedsides or patient boards.{{Cite news|title=Forget me not – dementia help in Hospitals|work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/health-20547386|access-date=19 December 2023|language=en}} Also in the United Kingdom, the forget-me-not is the symbol of the Alzheimer's Society.{{Cite web |title=About the Forget me not Appeal {{!}} Alzheimer's Society |url=https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/forget-me-not-appeal/about |access-date=2024-06-30 |website=www.alzheimers.org.uk |language=en}}

In the history of art, the forget-me-not is used to remember loved ones who have died, and so is very common in funerary portraits.

Since the Medieval period it has become a symbol of everlasting love and devotion. There is a German legend set as an origin story behind the name "Forget-Me-Not". In the legend, a knight was walking with his lady near the Danube River and decided to pick blue flowers for her. While picking the flowers he fell in the river and was swept away. He tossed the flowers to his lady and his last words to her were "Forget-me-not!".{{cite web |last1=Fairfax Gardening |title=Forget-Me-Not: A Flower Filled with Symbolism and Lore |url=https://www.fairfaxgardening.org/wp-content/webdocs/pdf/ForgetMeNots.pdf |website=www.fairfaxgardening.org }}

References

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Category:Boraginaceae genera

Category:Symbols of Alaska

Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus