Myosotis
(the Greek name used by Dioscorides, and derived from mys, myos, a mouse, and ous, otos, an ear; supposed resemblance in leaves). Forget-me-not. ORD. Boragineae. A rather large genus (more than forty species have been described by various authors) of very pretty and elegant hardy annuals or perennials, natives of North and South temperate regions, most common in Europe and Australia. Flowers blue, pink, or white, in terminal scorpioid cymes, bracteate or not. Radical leaves stalked, cauline ones sessile, linear-oblong. The species are of very easy culture in moist and shady places. All are propagated by seeds, sown in spring, on a warm sunny border. The perennials may also be increased by divisions of the roots, in spring; or by cuttings, placed under a hand light, in a shady spot, in summer. M. alpestris (alpine).* fl. blue, with a very small yellowish eye, fragrant in the evening. Summer. l. lanceolate or oblong-linear, acutish, obsoletely three-nerved, strigose. Stems tufted, erect, beset with adpressed hairs, simple at bottom, but divided at top into short racemes. h. 2in. to 3in. Mountains of Europe (Britain). Perennial. According to some authorities, this is but a form of M. sylvatica, with larger flowers. SYN. M. rupicola.(Sy. En. B. 1106.)
M. azorica (Azorean).* fl. purple, eventually blue, without a yellow eye, about 1/2in. across, disposed in dense bractless racemes. Summer. l. hairy, upper ones oblong-obtuse, lower ones oblong-spathulate. h. 6in. to 10in. Azores, 1846. An elegant but somewhat tender perennial, with a habit similar to M. alpestris, but the flowers are larger, and the fruiting racemes lengthen considerably. (B. M. 4122.) There is a white-flowered form, alba. The garden form of this species known as IMPERATRICE ELIZABETH forms a branching bush about 6in. in height, and, when covered with its numerous heads of bluish-purple flowers, is a gem for pots or shady nooks in the rockery.
M. dissitiflora (distant-flowered).* fl. deep sky-blue, large, numerous. Very early spring. l. oblong-lanceolate, gradually pointed. h. 6in. to 12in. Switzerland, 1868. Perennial. A handsome species, closely allied to M. sylvatica, but differing in its shorter, more adpressed pubescence, brighter green leaves, and relatively longer pedicels, which curve upwards and inwards when in fruit. The most distinctive character, however, which separates M. dissitiflora and M. sylvatica resides in the nutlets (the so-called seeds), which are stalked in the former and stalkless in the latter.
M. d. elegantissima (very elegant). A pretty variety, with white-edged leaves.
M. macrophylla. See Anchusa myosotidiflora.
M. obtusum. See Anchusa Barrelieri.
M. palustris (marsh).* True Forget-me-not. fl. blue, with a yellow throat; racemes simple or conjugate, bractless. Spring. l. oblong or spathulate, upper ones slightly decurrent, all bright glossy green. Stems creeping at the base, clothed with adpressed hairs. h. 6in. to 12in. Europe, &c. (Britain). A well-known and very lovely native perennial. (Sy. En. B. 1104.)
M. rupicola (rock-loving). A synonym of M. alpestris.
M. suaveolens (sweet-scented). fl. white or bluish, in simple or branched racemes, at first dense, at length several inches long; the pedicles short. l. oblong-linear or lanceolate, mostly acute, sessile, and broad at the base, or contracted into a short petiole, often decurrent; the lower ones sometimes 3in. to 4in. long, the upper ones small. Australia. An erect, but sometimes weak perennial.
M. sylvatica (wood).* fl. blue, with a yellow throat; racemes solitary and conjugate, very long, loose, bractless; pedicels much longer than the calyx. Spring. l. oblong-lanceolate, bluntish, clothed with soft hairs. Stems simple, divided at top into long loose racemes, hairy. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Europe, &c. (Britain). A handsome biennial or perennial species, of which there are numerous varieties. (Sy. En. B. 1107.)
M. virginica. See Echinospermum virginicum.