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Wikipedia / Myosotis

Myosotis (, ) is a genus of flowering plants in the borage family Boraginaceae. In the Northern Hemisphere, they are colloquially known as forget-me-nots or scorpion grasses. The forget-me-not is the official flower of Alaska.

The name comes from the Ancient Greek () "mouse's ear", which the foliage is thought to resemble. The genus is not to be confused with the related Chatham Islands species Myosotidium hortensia.

Description

The genus was originally described by Carl Linnaeus. The type species is Myosotis scorpioides. Myosotis species are annual or perennial, herbaceous, flowering plants with pentamerous actinomorphic flowers.

Their foliage is alternate, and their roots are generally diffuse. They typically flower in spring or soon after the melting of snow in alpine ecosystems.

Flowers are borne on scorpioid cymes; they are flatly faced, with a typical diameter of or less; they are coloured typically blue, but sometimes pink, white or yellow. Its centre consists of five anthers each on filaments fused to the petals, they are surrounded by yellow bumps called "fornices".

The seeds are contained in small, tulip-shaped pods along the stem to the flower. The pods attach to clothing when brushed against and eventually fall off, leaving the small seed within the pod to germinate elsewhere. Seeds can be collected by placing a sheet of paper under stems and shaking the seed pods onto the paper.

Myosotis scorpioides is colloquially called scorpion grass because of the spiraling curvature of its inflorescence.

Distribution

The genus is largely restricted to western Eurasia, with over 60 confirmed species, and New Zealand with around 40 endemic species. A few species occur elsewhere, including North America, South America, and Papua New Guinea. Despite this, Myosotis species are now common throughout temperate latitudes because of the introduction of cultivars and alien species. Many are popular in horticulture. They prefer moist habitats. In locales where they are not native, they frequently escape to wetlands and riverbanks.

One or two European species, especially Myosotis sylvatica, the "woodland" forget-me-not, have been introduced into most of the temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Genetic analysis indicates that the genus originated in the Northern Hemisphere, and that species native to New Zealand, Australia, New Guinea, and South America form a lineage of closely related species that are likely derived from a single dispersal event to the Southern Hemisphere.

Ecology

Myosotis species are food for the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including the setaceous Hebrew character. Many of the species in New Zealand are threatened.

Taxonomy

Of more than 510 recorded species names, only 156 species are presently accepted, listed below. The remainder are either synonyms or hybrids of presently accepted or proposed names.

Gallery

Symbolism

The small, blue forget-me-not flower was first used by the Grand Lodge Zur Sonne, in 1926, as a Masonic emblem at the annual convention in Bremen, Germany. In 1938, a forget-me-not badge—made by the same factory as the Masonic badge—was chosen for the annual Nazi Party Winterhilfswerk, the annual charity drive of the National Socialist People's Welfare, the welfare branch of the Nazi party. This coincidence enabled Freemasons to wear the forget-me-not badge as a secret sign of membership.

After World War II, the forget-me-not flower was used again as a Masonic emblem in 1948 at the first Annual Convention of the United Grand Lodges of Germany. The badge is now worn in the coat lapel by Freemasons around the world to remember all who suffered in the name of Freemasonry, especially those during the Nazi era.

The flower is also used as a symbol of remembrance by the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is used to commemorate those from the Dominion who were killed in the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel, and more largely the First World War. It is typically worn around July1 and November 11.

It is also used in Germany to commemorate the fallen soldiers of the world wars in a similar manner to the use of remembrance poppies in the UK.

The flower is also the symbol for the Armenian genocide's 100th anniversary. The design of the flower is a black dot symbolising the past, and the suffering of Armenian people. The light purple appendages symbolise the present, and unity of Armenians. The five purple petals symbolise the future, and the five continents to which Armenians escaped. The yellow in the centre symbolises eternity, and the Tsitsernakaberd itself symbolises the 12 provinces lost to Turkey.

In Lithuania, the flower has become one of the symbols for the commemoration of the January events of 1991.

In the Netherlands, the forget-me-not has become a symbol for Alzheimer Nederland, a foundation advocating for people suffering from dementia.

In New Zealand, the forget-me-not is the symbol for Alzheimers New Zealand, the foundation advocating for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

In the United Kingdom, many health settings make use of the forget-me-not as a symbol to highlight that someone has dementia; it may be placed on notes, bedsides or patient boards. Also in the United Kingdom, the forget-me-not is the symbol of the Alzheimer's Society.

In the history of art, the forget-me-not is used to remember loved ones who have died, and so is very common in funerary portraits.

Since the Medieval period it has become a symbol of everlasting love and devotion. There is a German legend set as an origin story behind the name "Forget-Me-Not". In the legend, a knight was walking with his lady near the Danube River and decided to pick blue flowers for her. While picking the flowers he fell in the river and was swept away. He tossed the flowers to his lady and his last words to her were "Forget-me-not!".

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