{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{speciesbox |image = Myosotis laxa.jpeg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author= Lansdown, R.V. |date=2013 |title= ''Myosotis laxa'' |volume=2013 |article-number= e.T164400A13537638 |doi= 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T164400A13537638.en |access-date=June 14, 2025}}</ref> |genus = Myosotis |species = laxa |authority = [[Johann Georg Christian Lehmann|Lehm.]] |synonyms = {{species list |Myosotis cespitosa var. laxa |(Lehm.) DC. |Myosotis palustris var. laxa |(Lehm.) A.Gray |Myosotis scorpioides subsp. baltica |(Lehm.) Hegi |Myosotis scorpioides subsp. laxa |(Lehm.) Hegi}} |synonyms_ref =<ref name=POWO/> }}
'''''Myosotis laxa''''' is a species of [[flowering plant|flowering herb]] in the family [[Boraginaceae]].<ref name=POWO>{{cite web |url= https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:119082-1 |title= Myosotis laxa Lehm. |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=n.d. |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=June 14, 2025}}</ref><ref name=COL>{{cite web |url= https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/KVLNV |title= Myosotis laxa Lehm. |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=n.d. |website=Catalogue of Life |publisher=Species 2000 |access-date=June 14, 2025}}</ref> This species of [[forget-me-not]] is known by several common names, including '''tufted forget-me-not''', '''bay forget-me-not''', '''small-flower forget-me-not''',<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Lee |editor1-first=Sangtae |editor2-last=Chang |editor2-first=Kae Sun |title=English Names for Korean Native Plants |year=2015 |publisher=[[Korea National Arboretum]] |location=Pocheon |isbn=978-89-97450-98-5 |page=543 |url=http://www.forest.go.kr/kna/special/download/English_Names_for_Korean_Native_Plants.pdf |access-date=15 March 2019 |via=[[Korea Forest Service]]}}</ref> '''small-flowered forget-me-not, and smaller forget-me-knot'''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last1=Gleason |first1=Henry A. |title=Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada |last2=Cronquist |first2=Arthur |date=1991 |publisher=New York Botanical Garden |isbn=978-0-89327-365-1 |edition=2nd |location=Bronx, N.Y., USA}}</ref> It has a [[Circumboreal Region|circumboreal distribution]], occurring throughout some parts of the [[Northern Hemisphere]]. It grows in many types of habitats, including moist and wet areas, and is sometimes [[aquatic plant|aquatic]], growing in shallow water.<ref name=":0" />
The American naturalist and poet [[Henry David Thoreau]] described ''Myosotis laxa'' as: <blockquote> The mouse-ear forget-me-not, ''Myosotis laxa'', has now extended its racemes (?) very much, and hangs over the edge of the brook. It is one of the most interesting minute flowers. It is the more beautiful for being small and unpretending; even flowers must be modest.<ref name=se>{{citation| year=1884| title=The Writings of Henry David Thoreau|author1=Thoreau, Henry David |author2=Emerson, Ralph Waldo | page=109| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_14dAAAAIAAJ| publisher=Houghton, Mifflin and company}}</ref> </blockquote>
== Description == The life cycle of ''Myosotis laxa'' can vary between an annual, biennial<ref>{{Cite book |title=Flora of the Great Plains |date=1986 |publisher=University Press of Kansas |isbn=978-0-7006-0295-7 |editor-last=McGregor |editor-first=Ronald L. |location=Lawrence, Kan |editor-last2=Barkley |editor-first2=T. M. |editor-last3=Great Plains Flora Association (U.S.)}}</ref>, and brief-lived perennial. It typically flowers May through September.<ref name=":0" />
''Myosotis laxa'' closely resembles ''[[Myosotis scorpioides]]'' L. but has two main identifying features. First, its corolla is smaller than ''M. scorpioides'' at 2 to 5 mm. wide and 5 to 10 mm. wide, respectively. Additionally, the style in ''M. laxa'' consistently surpasses the nutlet, while in ''M. scorpioides'' it does not. Generally, the leaves of ''M. laxa'' are smaller than ''M. scorpiodes'', but this trait may vary between individuals<ref name=":0" />.
The calyx of both ''M. laxa'' and ''M. scorpioides'' are characteristically covered in [[strigose]] hairs, while other ''[[Myosotis]]'' species are not. ''M. laxa'' is typically 10 to 40 cm. tall and decumbent, or prostrate, at its base. The [[inflorescence]] is terminal and the calyx is 3 to 5 mm. wide. Sometimes the calyx lobes are unequal in length and can be shorter or longer than the tube. The corolla is the light blue color, characteristic of the forget-me-nots, but can rarely be white or even yellow.<ref name=":0" />
''M. laxa'' is also known to have a coastal form that has been reported in the [[Baltic Sea Region]], [[Caspian Sea]], north central [[Asia]], [[Altai Republic|Altai]], and [[Mongolia]]. However, studies have found that this form does not arise in relation to coastal distance, suggesting it could appear in any suitable habitat.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kook |first=Ene |last2=Pihu |first2=Silvia |last3=Reier |first3=Ülle |last4=Thetloff |first4=Marge |last5=Aavik |first5=Tsipe |last6=Helm |first6=Aveliina |date=April 2016 |title=Do Landscape Dissimilarity and Environmental Factors Affect Genetic and Phenotypic Variability in Myosotis laxa s. lato (Boraginaceae)? |url=http://www.bioone.org/doi/10.5735/085.053.0211 |journal=Annales Botanici Fennici |language=en |volume=53 |issue=1-2 |pages=56–66 |doi=10.5735/085.053.0211 |issn=0003-3847|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
== Subspecies == Two subspecies of ''Myosotis laxa'' have been described: '''''M. laxa''''' '''subsp. ''baltica'' (Sam.) Hyl. ex Nordh'''. and '''''M. laxa'' subsp. ''cespitosa'' (Schultz) Hyl. ex Nordh'''''.'' These subspecies are known to be morphologically variable, and individuals are often found displaying traits of both.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Pihu |first=Silvia |last2=Öpik |first2=Maarja |last3=Kook |first3=Ene |last4=Reier |first4=Ülle |date=2011 |title=Morphological and genetic relationships of Myosotis laxa ssp. baltica and ssp. caespitosa, and typification of M. laxa ssp. baltica |url=https://pbsociety.org.pl/journals/index.php/asbp/article/view/asbp.2009.006 |journal=Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae |volume=78 |issue=1 |pages=37–49 |doi=10.5586/asbp.2009.006 |issn=2083-9480|doi-access=free }}</ref>
''Myosotis laxa'' subsp. ''baltica'' was once considered a separate species, named ''Myosotis baltica'', but has since been genetically recognized as a subspecies of ''M. laxa'' and more likely a coastal ecotype. ''M. laxa'' subsp. ''baltica'' is endemic to the Baltic Sea Region and is most common in the [[Åland|Åland Islands]] and [[Finland]]. It portrays characteristics of living in a variable coastal habitat with larger seeds, earlier flowering times, rare lower branching, greater stem diameter, an annual life cycle, and longer pedicels while fruiting when compared to ''M. laxa'' subsp. ''cespitosa.''<ref name=":1" />
''M. laxa'' subsp. ''cespitosa'' has a broader range than subsp. ''baltica'' and can be found throughout temperate [[Eurasia]] to northern [[Africa]]. While its conservation status is unknown or of least concern in most countries, it is on the [[IUCN Red List]] in [[Czech Republic|Czechia]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stešević |first=Danijela |last2=Stanišić-Vujačić |first2=Milica |last3=Milanović |first3=Đorđije |last4=Šilc |first4=Urban |date=2024-07-01 |title=On the distribution and conservation status of some Mediterranean species new for the flora of Montenegro |url=https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/hacquetia/article/view/13547 |journal=Hacquetia |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages=83–94 |doi=10.3986/hacq-2025-0004 |issn=1854-9829|doi-access=free }}</ref> When compared to ''M. laxa'' subsp. ''baltica'' it is described as having a stronger stem and can vary between an annual, biennial, or perennial life cycle. Additionally, the subspecies often does not have leaves in the inflorescence and is more strongly branched in the upper portion of the plant than subsp. ''baltica''.<ref name=":1" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?2030,2156,2159 Jepson Manual Treatment] *[http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Myosotis+laxa Photo gallery]
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[[Category:Myosotis|laxa]] [[Category:Flora of Asia]] [[Category:Flora of Europe]] [[Category:Flora of Northern America]] [[Category:Taxa named by Johann Georg Christian Lehmann]]
{{Boraginoideae-stub}}