Flora of New Zealand | Taxon Profile

Classification

Class

Magnoliopsida Brongn.

Family

Boraginaceae

Genus

Myosotis L.

Subordinate Taxa

Nomenclature

Scientific Name:

Myosotis traversii Hook.f., Handb. New Zealand Fl. 194 (1864)

Synonymy:

Type: South Island. Discovery Peaks, 1860, Travers s.n. (lecto, designated by L. B. Moore in H. H. Allan (Ed.), Fl. New Zealand 1: 817 (1961): K 000787891!*, upper left-hand plant on sheet; syn: South Island. Wai-au in valley, s. dat., Travers s.n.; K [H2012/00752-13!], three plants upper right; South Island. Tarndale, Nelson, Jan. 1861, Sinclair s.n. (K [H2012/00752-13!] two plants upper left, and K000787893!

Etymology:

Hooker’s epithet traversii honours lawyer, explorer and naturalist William Thomas Locke Travers (1819–1903), who immigrated to New Zealand in 1849 with his family, and who teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/1t105/travers-william-thomas-locke, accessed 22 March 2021).

Description

Plants very compact and ± ball-shaped; rosette lvs spathulate; hairs numerous on both surfaces. Lateral branches to 15 cm long; internodes usually < lvs. Stem lvs hairy on both surfaces. Cymes compound, mostly ebracteate, many-flowered, compact at fruiting. Calyx with short, appressed hairs overall contrasting with scattered, long, spreading, coarse hooked hairs. Corolla lemon-yellow to white, c. 4 mm diam.; tube cylindric; filaments very short; anther tips protruding.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Biostatus

Indigenous (Endemic)

Number of subspecific taxa in New Zealand within *Myosotis traversii* Hook.f.
Category	Number
Indigenous (Endemic)	2
Total	2

Bibliography

Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledones. Government Printer, Wellington.

Hooker, J.D. 1864: Handbook of the New Zealand Flora: a systematic description of the native plants of New Zealand and the Chatham, Kermadec's, Lord Auckland's, Campbell's and Macquarie's Islands. Part I. Reeve, London.

Meudt, H.M. 2021: Taxonomic revision of five species groups of ebracteate-erect Myosotis (Boraginaceae) endemic to New Zealand, based on morphology, and description of new subspecies. Australian Systematic Botany 34: 252–304.

Webb, C.J.; Sykes, W.R.; Garnock-Jones, P.J. 1988: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. IV. Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons. Botany Division DSIR, Christchurch.

Myosotis traversii Hook.f.