{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Speciesbox | image = Myosotis venticola.jpg | image_caption = Habit of Myosotis venticola | status = | status_system = NZTCS | status_ref = <ref name="NZTCS"/> | genus = Myosotis | species = venticola | authority = Meudt & Prebble, 2022<ref name=":0">{{Cite Q|Q114426617}}</ref> }}
'''''Myosotis venticola''''' is a species of [[flowering plant]] in the [[Family (taxonomy)|family]] Boraginaceae, [[Endemic species|endemic]] to the [[South Island]] of [[New Zealand]]. Heidi Meudt and Jessica Prebble described ''M. venticola'' in 2022. Plants of this [[Forget-me-nots|forget-me-not]] are [[Perennial plant|perennial]] with bracteate and prostrate inflorescences, and small, white corollas with partly exserted stamens.
== Taxonomy and etymology == ''Myosotis venticola'' Meudt & Prebble is in the plant family [[Boraginaceae]].<ref name=":0" /> The species was described by Heidi Meudt and Jessica Prebble in 2022.<ref name=":0" /> The holotype was collected by [[Anthony Peter Druce|A.P. Druce]] near Dunstan and is lodged at the Allan Herbarium of [[Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research]] (CHR 624106).<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Holotype of Myosotis venticola |url=https://scd.landcareresearch.co.nz/Specimen/CHR%20624106 |access-date=2022-10-15 |website=scd.landcareresearch.co.nz}}</ref>
The specific epithet, ''venticola'', means ‘‘inhabiting windy areas’ and refers to the high-elevation windswept habitats of this species.''<ref name=":0" />''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-02 |title=Three new endemic species of forget-me-nots in Aotearoa New Zealand |url=https://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2023/07/03/three-new-endemic-species-of-forget-me-nots-in-aotearoa-new-zealand/ |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=Te Papa’s Blog |language=en-NZ}}</ref> It comes from the Latin words ''ventus'' (‘wind’) and cola (‘dweller’).''<ref name=":0" />''<ref>{{Cite Q|Q101497897}}</ref>
''Myosotis venticola'' has been previously confused with ''[[Myosotis cheesemanii|M. cheesemanii]].<ref name=":0" />''<ref>{{Cite Q|Q93446160}}</ref> However, morphological comparison of herbarium specimens showed that ''M. venticola'' is morphologically most similar to ''[[Myosotis lyallii|M. lyallii]]'' and ''[[Myosotis retrorsa|M. retrorsa]].''<ref name=":0" /> ''Myosotis venticola'' has retrorse (backward-facing) hairs mixed with antrorse (forward-facing) hairs on the ''upper'' side of the leaves (which is a unique character that can distinguish it from all other southern hemisphere species of ''Myosotis'' except ''[[Myosotis oreophila|M. oreophila]]'') as well as on the lower surface (which can distinguish it from all other species except ''M. retrorsa'' and ''[[Myosotis umbrosa|M. umbrosa]]).''<ref name=":0" />
Additionally, the hairs are appressed on the upper surface and margins of the rosette leaves, and together with its unbranched inflorescences, these characters further distinguish ''Myosotis venticola'' from ''M. retrorsa'' and ''M. lyallii.'' Finally, other characters that can help distinguish ''M. venticola'' from ''M. cheesemanii'' include partially bracteate inflorescences, retrorse hairs on the calyces, and flexuous hairs on the rosette leaves.<ref name=":0" />
== Phylogeny == [[File:SP106668 Myosotis venticola Meudt & Prebble Te Papa 1700807 466433.jpg|thumb|''M. venticola'' in its natural habitat]] ''Myosotis'' ''venticola'' was not included in [[Phylogenetics|phylogenetic]] analyses of standard DNA sequencing markers ([[Ribosomal DNA|nuclear ribosomal DNA]] and [[chloroplast DNA]] regions).<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 |bibcode=2002MolPE..24..180W |issn=1055-7903|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last1=Meudt |first1=Heidi M. |last2=Prebble |first2=Jessica M. |last3=Lehnebach |first3=Carlos A. |date=2015 |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> Within the southern hemisphere lineage, species relationships were not well resolved.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />
== Description == ''Myosotis venticola'' plants are single rosettes that often cluster together to form clumps or mats. The rosette leaves have [[Petiole (botany)|petioles]] 2–8 mm long. The rosette leaf blades are 3–12 mm long by 2–7 mm wide (length: width ratio 1.1–2.1: 1), usually narrowly obovate or obovate, and usually widest above the middle (rarely below the middle), with an [[Obtuse (leaf)|obtuse]] apex. The upper surface of the leaf is densely covered in mostly flexuous (some straight), appressed or patent antrorse (forward-facing) hairs that are mixed with some retrorse (backward-facing) hairs, and oriented mostly parallel (some oblique) to the mid vein. The hairs on the edges of the leaf are similar but are antrorse only and sometimes erect on the petiole. The hairs on the undersurface of the leaf are similar but mostly retrorse, with some antrorse hairs near the apex. Each rosette has 3–16 prostrate to ascending, unbranched bracteate [[Inflorescence|inflorescences]] that are up to 47 mm long. The cauline leaves are up to 8 per inflorescence and are similar to the rosette leaves but smaller and decrease in size and become sessile toward the tip. Each inflorescence has up to 6 flowers, each borne on a [[Pedicel (botany)|pedicel]] up to 3 mm long at fruiting, and the lowest 1–4 flowers with a bract. The calyx is 5–6 mm long at flowering and 5–8 mm long at fruiting, lobed about one-third its length, and densely covered in antrorse and retrorse hairs that are mostly flexuous, and appressed to patent. The corolla is white, up to 8 mm in diameter, with a cylindrical tube, petals that are broadly obovate or very broadly ovate, and small yellow scales alternating with the petals. The stamens are 5–7 mm long (measured from the base of the calyx to the anther tips). The anthers are partly exserted, with the tips only just surpassing the scales. The four smooth, shiny, medium to dark brown nutlets are 1.5–2.1 mm long by 0.9–1.3 mm wide and ovoid in shape.''<ref name=":0" />''
The chromosome number of ''M. venticola'' is unknown.
The pollen of ''M. venticola'' is unknown.
It flowers in January and fruits from January–February.<ref name=":0" />
== Distribution and habitat == ''Myosotis venticola'' is a [[forget-me-not]] endemic to specific high-elevation areas of Otago and southern Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand, from 1350–1675 m ASL.<ref name=":0" /> There are herbarium specimens of ''M. venticola'' from the Dunstan Mountains, Saint Marys Range [[Awakino ski area|(Awakino Ski Field)]] and Saint Bathans Range; photos of a plant on Mt Kyeburn originally identified as ''M. cheesemanii'' are also likely to be this species, but there are no herbarium specimens of this species from there.<ref name=":0" /> It is found on exposed rocky or gravelly ground in high-elevation sites with sparsely vegetated cushion herbfields, tussocks or fell field.<ref name=":0" />
== Conservation status == ''Myosotis venticola'' was not listed in the most recent assessment (2017–2018) under the [[New Zealand Threat Classification System|New Zealand Threatened Classification]] system for plants.<ref name=":0" /><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=1–86 |oclc=1041649797}}</ref><gallery> File:SP106668 Myosotis venticola Meudt & Prebble Te Papa 1700807 466163.jpg|Upper surface and lower surface of rosette leaves showing hairs File:SP104480 Myosotis venticola Meudt & Prebble Te Papa 1524572 388021.jpg|Habit File:SP106668 Myosotis venticola Meudt & Prebble Te Papa 1700807 466143.jpg|Leaf rosettes File:SP104480 Myosotis venticola Meudt & Prebble Te Papa 1524572 388015.jpg|Plant growing in rocky substrate File:SP111279 Myosotis venticola Meudt & Prebble Te Papa 1951290 643507.jpg|Close up of rosette leaves </gallery>
== References == {{Reflist|refs=}}
== External links ==
* [https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=myosotis+venticola#tab_mapView ''Myosotis venticola'' occurrence data from Australasian Virtual Herbarium] * {{commons category-inline}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q114427350}}
[[Category:Myosotis|venticola]] [[Category:Endemic flora of New Zealand]] [[Category:Endangered flora of New Zealand]] [[Category:Plants described in 2022]]