{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}} {{Speciesbox | image = Myosotis amabilis Cheeseman (AM AK211972-1).jpg | image_caption = original material of Myosotis amabilis, specimen AK 211972 collected by James Adams on Hikurangi in 1897 | status = NC | status_system = NZTCS | status_ref = <ref name="NZTCS"/> | genus = Myosotis | species = amabilis | authority = [[Thomas Cheeseman|Cheeseman]], 1906<ref name=":3" /> }}

'''''Myosotis amabilis''''' is a species of [[flowering plant]] in the [[Family (taxonomy)|family]] [[Boraginaceae]], [[Endemism|endemic]] to [[New Zealand]]. [[Thomas Cheeseman]] described the species in 1906 based on specimens collected at Mt [[Mount Hikurangi (Gisborne District)|Hikurangi]]. Plants of this species of [[Forget-me-nots|forget-me-not]] are [[Perennial plant|perennial]] rosettes with ebracteate inflorescences and white corollas with stamens that are exserted.

== Taxonomy and etymology == ''Myosotis amabilis'' Cheeseman is in the plant family [[Boraginaceae]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Myosotis amabilis |url=https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/myosotis-amabilis/ |access-date=2023-07-01 |website=New Zealand Plant Conservation Network |language=en}}</ref> It was originally described by New Zealand botanist [[Thomas Cheeseman]] in his ''Manual of the New Zealand Flora'' in 1929.<ref name=":3">{{cite q|Q51396409|pp=468-469}}</ref> The most recent treatment of this species was done by [[Lucy Moore (botanist)|Lucy B. Moore]] in the ''Flora of New Zealand.''<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=L.B. |title=Boraginaceae. In 'Flora of New Zealand'. (Ed. HH Allan) Vol. 1, pp. 806–833 |url=https://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Taxon.aspx?id=_2dd90ab4-331f-4d49-bb31-b0a843e65931&fileName=Flora%201.xml |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=(Government Printer: Wellington, New Zealand) floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz}}</ref>

The original specimens ([[syntype]]s) of this species were collected by [[Donald Petrie (botanist)|Donald Petrie]] and [[James Adams (teacher and botanist)|James Adams]] on Mt [[Mount Hikurangi (Gisborne District)|Hikurangi]] in the [[North Island]], New Zealand.<ref name=":3" /> When Adams first collected it there in 1897, he called it ''[[Myosotis saxosa|M. saxosa]].''<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Adams |first=James |date=1897-01-01 |title=On the botany of Hikurangi Mountain |url=https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q120143753 |journal=Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand |language=English |pages=414–433}}</ref> The specimens collected by Adams and Petrie are housed at the herbarium of the [[Auckland War Memorial Museum]] (AK).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Myosotis amabilis - AK 47774 |url=https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/collections-research/collections/record/am_naturalsciences-object-354215 |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Auckland Museum - Collections Online}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Myosotis amabilis - AK 7534 |url=https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/collections-research/collections/record/am_naturalsciences-object-305190 |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Auckland Museum - Collections Online}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Myosotis amabilis - AK 211972 |url=https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/collections-research/collections/record/am_naturalsciences-object-399759 |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Auckland Museum - Collections Online}}</ref>

Cheeseman''<ref name=":3" />'' made the following distinction between ''M. amabilis'' and ''M. saxosa:''<blockquote>"Rather stout, 3–9 in. high. Leaves 1–2½ in., linear-obovate or obovate-spathulate, coriaceous, hispid on both surfaces. Racemes many-flowered. Flowers large, white, ½ in. diam.........17. ''M. amabilis''

Small, stout, 2–3 in. high. Leaves ½–¾ |in., oblong-spathulate, hispid and hoary on both surfaces. Racemes few flowered. Flowers small . . . . . . . . 18. ''M. saxos''a."''<ref name=":3" />''</blockquote>Some sources consider ''M. amabilis'' to be a synonym of ''M. saxosa,''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Myosotis saxosa |url=https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/myosotis-saxosa/ |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=New Zealand Plant Conservation Network |language=en}}</ref> whereas others recognise two distinct species.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Flora of New Zealand {{!}} Taxon Profile {{!}} Myosotis amabilis |url=https://www.nzflora.info/factsheet/taxon/Myosotis-amabilis.html |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=www.nzflora.info}}</ref> Whether ''M. amabilis'' and ''M. saxosa'' are one species or two is an outstanding taxonomic question that requires further study.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2021-06-04 |title=Searching for rare forget-me-nots with North Island iwi |url=https://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2021/06/04/searching-for-rare-forget-me-nots-with-north-island-iwi/ |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Te Papa’s Blog |language=en-NZ}}</ref>

== Phylogeny == No individuals of ''M. amabilis'' have been included in [[Phylogenetics|phylogenetic]] analyses of standard DNA sequencing markers ([[Ribosomal DNA|nuclear ribosomal DNA]] and [[chloroplast DNA]] regions) of New Zealand ''Myosotis''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite Q|Q30707919}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Meudt |first1=Heidi M. |last2=Prebble |first2=Jessica M. |last3=Lehnebach |first3=Carlos A. |date=2015-05-01 |title=Native New Zealand forget-me-nots (Myosotis, Boraginaceae) comprise a Pleistocene species radiation with very low genetic divergence |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-014-1166-x |journal=Plant Systematics and Evolution |language=en |volume=301 |issue=5 |pages=1455–1471 |doi=10.1007/s00606-014-1166-x |bibcode=2015PSyEv.301.1455M |s2cid=254048318 |issn=2199-6881|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== Description == '''''Myosotis amabilis''''' plants are rosettes. The rosette leaves have [[Petiole (botany)|petioles]] that are about as long as the leaf blades. The rosette leaf blades are about 40&nbsp;mm long by 15&nbsp;mm wide (length: width ratio 2.7: 1), usually oblong-spathulate and widest at or above the middle, with an [[Obtuse (leaf)|obtuse]] apex. Both surfaces of the leaf are uniformly and sparsely to densely covered in patent to erect hairs. On the upper surface of the leaf, these hairs are always antrorse (forward-facing) whereas on the lower surface, they are mostly retrorse (backward-facing)'''.''' Each rosette has several ascending to erect, ebracteate [[inflorescence]]s that are up to 150&nbsp;mm long. The cauline leaves are similar to the rosette leaves, but become smaller, are broadly lanceolate and subacute, and have hairs similar to the rosette leaves but less densely distributed and with some retrorse hairs on the underside of the lowest cauline leaves only. The flowers are about 12 per inflorescence, and each is borne on a short [[Pedicel (botany)|pedicel]], without a bract. The calyx is about 6&nbsp;mm long at flowering and fruiting, lobed to one-half tor more of its length, and densely covered in appressed hairs, as well as some patent to erect hooked hairs, all of which are mostly antrorse (with some retrorse or backward-facing hairs near the base). The corolla is white and about 10&nbsp;mm in diameter, with a cylindrical tube, petals that are rounded-triangular, and small white or yellow scales alternating with the petals. The anthers are exserted, surpassing the faucal scales. The nutlets have not been described.<ref name=":5" />

The [[pollen]] of ''Myosotis amabilis'' is unknown.

The [[chromosome number]] of ''M. amabilis'' is unknown.

Flowering and fruiting January–February.<ref name=":5" />

== Distribution and habitat == ''Myosotis'' ''amabilis'' is a [[forget-me-not]] originally collected from Mt Hikurangi, East Cape, North Island, New Zealand, and may nr endemic to this area.<ref name=":5" /> Very few herbarium specimens of this species have been collected. Some specimens collected in Hawkes Bay (North Island) and even on the South Island have been variously identified as ''M. amabilis'' or ''M. saxosa,''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Myosotis amabilis Cheeseman |url=https://www.gbif.org/species/5661621 |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=www.gbif.org |language=en}}</ref> and the two species require taxonomic revision.<ref name=":4" /> Recent efforts to relocate plants of ''M. amabilis'' on Mt Hikurangi and elsewhere have been unsuccessful.<ref name=":4" />

== Conservation status == ''Myosotis amabilis'' is listed as Threatened – Nationally Critical" with the qualifiers Data Poor (DP), Range Restricted (RR), Sparse (Sp) and Stable (St) on the most recent assessment (2017-2018) under the [[New Zealand Threat Classification System|New Zealand Threatened Classification]] system for plants.<ref name="NZTCS">{{Cite journal |last1=Lange |first1=Peter J. de |last2=Rolfe |first2=Jeremy R. |last3=Barkla |first3=John W. |last4=Courtney |first4=Shannel P. |last5=Champion |first5=Paul D. |last6=Perrie |first6=Leon R. |last7=Beadel |first7=Sarah M. |last8=Ford |first8=Kerry A. |last9=Breitwieser |first9=Ilse |last10=Schönberger |first10=Ines |last11=Hindmarsh-Walls |first11=Rowan |date=May 2018 |title=Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 |url=https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/science-and-technical/nztcs22entire.pdf |journal=New Zealand Threat Classification Series |volume=22 |pages=45 |oclc=1041649797}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons}}

* [https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=myosotis+amabilis#tab_mapView ''Myosotis amabilis'' occurrence data from Australasian Virtual Herbarium]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q17416599}}

[[Category:Endemic flora of New Zealand]] [[Category:Endangered flora of New Zealand]] [[Category:Taxa named by Thomas Frederic Cheeseman]] [[Category:Plants described in 1906]] [[Category:Myosotis|amabilis]]