{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2024}} {{use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Speciesbox | image = Myosotis brevis 1214874.jpg | image_caption = ''Myosotis brevis'' plant, flowering | status = NV | status_system = NZTCS | status_ref = <ref name="NZTCS"/> | genus = Myosotis | species = brevis | authority = [[Peter James de Lange|de Lange]] & Barkla<ref name="Threatened plants of New Zealand">{{Cite book |url=https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/4837096 |title=Threatened plants of New Zealand |date=2010 |publisher=Canterbury University Press |isbn=978-1-877257-56-8 |editor-last=De Lange |editor-first=Peter J. |location=Christchurch, N.Z |oclc=456176236}}</ref> | synonyms = ''Myosotis pygmaea'' var. ''minutiflora'' [[George Simpson (botanist)|G.Simpson]] & J.S.Thomson }}'''''Myosotis brevis''''' is a species of [[flowering plant]] in the [[Family (taxonomy)|family]] Boraginaceae, [[Endemic species|endemic]] to [[New Zealand]]. [[George Simpson (botanist)|George Simpson]] and J.S. Thomson described ''M. pygmaea'' var. ''minutiflora'' in 1942, and [[Peter James de Lange|Peter de Lange]] and John Barkla recognized it at species rank in 2010, as ''M. brevis''. Plants of this species of [[Forget-me-nots|forget-me-not]] are small and [[Annual plant|annual]], with a prostrate habit, bracteate inflorescences, tiny white corollas, and brown or green leaves.

== Taxonomy and etymology == ''Myosotis brevis'' [[Peter de Lange (botanist)|de Lange]] & Barkla is in the plant family [[Boraginaceae]], was originally described as ''M. pygmaea'' var. ''minutiflora'' in 1942 by [[George Simpson (botanist)|George Simpson]] and J.S. Thomson, and was later recognized at species rank by [[Peter James de Lange|Peter de Lange]] and John Barkla, as ''M. brevis,'' in 2010.<ref name=":2">{{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><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Simpson |first1=George |last2=Thomson |first2=J.S. |date=1942 |title=Notes on Some New Zealand Plants and Descriptions of New Species (No. 2) |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/TPRSNZ1942-72.2.7.3 |journal=Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand |language=en |volume=72 |pages=21–40 |access-date=2022-07-06}}</ref><ref name="Threatened plants of New Zealand">{{Cite book |url=https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/4837096 |title=Threatened plants of New Zealand |date=2010 |publisher=Canterbury University Press |isbn=978-1-877257-56-8 |editor-last=De Lange |editor-first=Peter J. |location=Christchurch, N.Z |oclc=456176236}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Myosotis brevis |url=https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/myosotis-brevis/ |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=New Zealand Plant Conservation Network |language=en}}</ref> The species required a new name since ''[[Myosotis minutiflora|M. minutiflora]]'' [[Boiss.]] & [[Reut.]], an unrelated northern hemisphere species, was already published.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Myosotis minutiflora Boiss. & Reut. |url=https://www.gbif.org/species/5660949 |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=www.gbif.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Boisiier |first1=E |last2=Reuter |first2=G. F. |date=1852 |title=Pugillus plantarum novarum Africae borealis Hispaniaeque australis |url=https://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/records/item/9477-redirection |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=bibdigital.rjb.csic.es |page=80 |language=es}}</ref> The most recent taxonomic revision continues to recognize ''M. brevis'' at the species level, and it ss morphologically most similar to the other bracteate-prostrate species endemic to New Zealand in the pygmy subgroup, i.e. ''[[Myosotis glauca]]'' and ''[[Myosotis antarctica|M. antarctica]].''<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Prebble |first1=Jessica M. |last2=Symonds |first2=V. Vaughan |last3=Tate |first3=Jennifer A. |last4=Meudt |first4=Heidi M. |date=2022-05-05 |title=Taxonomic revision of the southern hemisphere pygmy forget-me-not group (Myosotis; Boraginaceae) based on morphological, population genetic and climate-edaphic niche modelling data |url=https://www.publish.csiro.au/sb/SB21031 |journal=Australian Systematic Botany |language=en |volume=35 |issue=1 |pages=63–94 |doi=10.1071/SB21031 |issn=1446-5701 |s2cid=248603363 |doi-access=free}}</ref> ''Myosotis brevis'' is the smallest New Zealand forget-me-not and differs from all other ''Myosotis'' in its small corolla (<2.0&nbsp;mm diameter), short calyx (<1.7&nbsp;mm at flowering), and small nutlets [0.9–1.2(–1.4) mm long by 0.5–0.8&nbsp;mm wide].<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Prebble |first1=Jessica M. |last2=Meudt |first2=Heidi M. |last3=Tate |first3=Jennifer A. |last4=Symonds |first4=V. Vaughan |date=2018-03-18 |title=Bolstering Species Delimitation in Difficult Species Complexes by Analyzing Herbarium and Common Garden Morphological Data: A Case Study Using the New Zealand Native Myosotis pygmaea Species Group (Boraginaceae) |url=https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/aspt/sb/2018/00000043/00000001/art00022 |journal=Systematic Botany |volume=43 |issue=1 |pages=266–289 |doi=10.1600/036364418X697058 |s2cid=90243293|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The holotype specimen of ''Myosotis pygmaea'' var. ''minutiflora'' is lodged at the Allan Herbarium (CHR) of [[Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research]] (CHR 75725).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Myosotis pygmaea var. minutiflora holotype |url=https://scd.landcareresearch.co.nz/Specimen/CHR%2075725?collection=CHR&searchCollection=CHR&query=75725&currentDisplayTab=list&pageNumber=0&sortField=relevance |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=scd.landcareresearch.co.nz}}</ref> The specific epithet, ''brevis'', is derived from Latin and means 'short', whereas ''minutiflora'' is also derived from Latin and means 'small flowered'.

== Description == ''Myosotis brevis'' plants are single rosettes. The rosette leaves have [[Petiole (botany)|petioles]] 1–7&nbsp;mm long. The rosette leaf blades are 1–9&nbsp;mm long by 1–4&nbsp;mm wide (length: width ratio 1.2–2.5: 1), narrowly oblanceolate to broadly obovate, widest at or above the middle, green or brown, with an [[Glossary of leaf morphology#obtuse|obtuse]] (occasionally [[Acute leaf|acute]]) apex. The upper surface of the leaf is densely covered in flexuous, appressed to erect, antrorse (forward-facing) hairs, whereas the lower surface of the leaf is similar but with fewer hairs (ranging from glabrous to with sparsely distributed hairs). Each rosette has multiple prostrate, bracteate [[inflorescence]]s that are up to 5&nbsp;cm long. The cauline leaves are similar in size and shape to the rosette leaves and become sessile toward the tip. Each inflorescence has up to 17 flowers, each borne on a very short [[Pedicel (botany)|pedicel]], with a bract.

The calyx is 1–2&nbsp;mm long at flowering and 2–4&nbsp;mm long at fruiting, lobed to one-third or two-thirds its length, and hairs that are more densely distributed on the calyx ribs, and sometimes of two different lengths and types. The corolla is white or cream, or sometimes pale blue or blue-striped, up to 2&nbsp;mm in diameter, with a cylindrical tube, and small yellow scales alternating with the petals. The anthers are very short (usually < 0.3&nbsp;mm long) and fully included. The four smooth, shiny nutlets are usually 0.9–1.2&nbsp;mm long by 0.5–0.8&nbsp;mm wide and are ovoid in shape.<ref name=":1" /> ''M. brevis'' has ''M. discolor'' type pollen, which is distinctive amongst all bracteate-prostrate species in New Zealand.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Myosotis brevis pollen |url=https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/topic/10489 |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=collections.tepapa.govt.nz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Meudt |first=HM |date=2016-10-01 |title=Pollen morphology and its taxonomic utility in the Southern Hemisphere bracteate-prostrate forget-me-nots (Myosotis, Boraginaceae) |journal=New Zealand Journal of Botany |volume=54 |issue=4 |pages=475–497 |doi=10.1080/0028825X.2016.1229343 |issn=0028-825X |s2cid=89118799}}</ref> It flowers during the months September–April and fruits during the months October–April. Peak flowering and fruiting occurs October–December.<ref name=":1" />

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150"> File:SP090361 Myosotis brevis de Lange & Barkla WELT Te Papa 1253934 592842.jpg|Flowering rosette File:SP090545^A Myosotis brevis de Lange & Barkla WELT Te Papa 1254181 592975.jpg|Fruiting and flowering plant File:Myosotis brevis 1209844.jpg|Growth habit File:SP090543^A Myosotis brevis de Lange & Barkla WELT Te Papa 1253938 389778.jpg|Pollen grain </gallery>

== Phylogeny == ''Myosotis brevis'' was shown to be a part of the [[monophyletic]] southern hemisphere lineage of ''Myosotis'' in [[Phylogenetics|phylogenetic]] analyses of standard DNA sequencing markers ([[Ribosomal DNA|nuclear ribosomal DNA]] and [[chloroplast DNA]] regions).<ref name=":0">{{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 |journal=Plant Systematics and Evolution |language=en |volume=301 |issue=5 |pages=1455–1471 |doi=10.1007/s00606-014-1166-x |s2cid=14686750 |issn=2199-6881}}</ref> Within the southern hemisphere lineage, species relationships were not well resolved.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last1=Winkworth |first1=Richard C |last2=Grau |first2=Jürke |last3=Robertson |first3=Alastair W |last4=Lockhart |first4=Peter J |date=2002-08-01 |title=The origins and evolution of the genus Myosotis L. (Boraginaceae) |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1055790302002105 |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |language=en |volume=24 |issue=2 |pages=180–193 |doi=10.1016/S1055-7903(02)00210-5 |pmid=12144755 |issn=1055-7903|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=":0" /> The two sequenced individuals of ''M. brevis'' had very similar sequences and grouped near one another in all analyses.<ref name=":0" /> In a study analyzing microsatellite markers developed specifically for the pygmy subgroup of southern hemisphere ''Myosotis'', all (or most) populations of ''M. brevis'' cluster together in the different analyses.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Prebble |first1=Jessica M. |last2=Meudt |first2=Heidi M. |last3=Tate |first3=Jennifer A. |last4=Symonds |first4=V. Vaughan |date=2019 |title=Comparing and co‐analysing microsatellite and morphological data for species delimitation in the New Zealand native Myosotis pygmaea species group (Boraginaceae) |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tax.12096 |journal=Taxon |language=en |volume=68 |issue=4 |pages=731–750 |doi=10.1002/tax.12096 |s2cid=208604617 |issn=0040-0262|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Prebble |first1=Jessica M. |last2=Tate |first2=Jennifer A. |last3=Meudt |first3=Heidi M. |last4=Symonds |first4=V. Vaughan |date=2015-06-09 |title=Microsatellite markers for the New Zealand endemic Myosotis pygmaea species group (Boraginaceae) amplify across species1 |journal=Applications in Plant Sciences |volume=3 |issue=6 |article-number=apps.1500027 |doi=10.3732/apps.1500027 |issn=2168-0450 |pmc=4467761 |pmid=26082880}}</ref>

== Distribution and habitat == ''Myosotis brevis'' is a [[forget-me-not]] endemic to coastal areas in the North Island (Taranaki, Southern North Island) and mountainous areas of Canterbury and Otago of the South Island of New Zealand, from 0–1900 m ASL. ''M. brevis'' is found in herb fields, turfs and gravels of coastal cliffs, platforms and beaches on the North Island; at the edges of seasonally inundated tarn edges in Canterbury; and in exposed, dry to seasonally moist alpine fellfield, pasture or turf in Otago.<ref name=":1" />

== Conservation status == The species is listed as "Threatened - Nationally Vulnerable" on the most recent assessment (2017-2018) under the [[New Zealand Threat Classification System|New Zealand Threatened Classification]] system for plants, with the qualifiers "EF" (Extreme Fluctuations) and "Sp" (Sparse).<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 |page=45 |oclc=1041649797}}</ref> A recent taxonomic revision recommended maintaining this conservation status and qualifiers.<ref name=":1" />

== References == {{Reflist|refs=}}

== External links ==

* [https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=myosotis+brevis#tab_mapView ''Myosotis brevis'' occurrence data from Australasian Virtual Herbarium] * {{commons category-inline}}

{{Taxonbar|from1=Q17416586}}

[[Category:Myosotis|brevis]] [[Category:Endemic flora of New Zealand]] [[Category:Endangered flora of New Zealand]] [[Category:Plants described in 1942]]