Facts about Water Forget me not

The genus name, Myosotis, is derived from two Greek words, mys, meaning ‘mouse’, and ous or otos, meaning ‘ear’ – which refers to the shape of the flower petal – and hence one of the common names given above, although some references state that it is a reference to the leaf. The species name, scorpioides, means ‘scorpion like’, referring to the coiled shape of the inflorescence in the bud stage, which resembles the tail of a scorpion that leads to some of the other common names. The author name for the plant classification, ‘L.’, refers to Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), Swedish botanist and the developer of the binomial nomenclature of modern taxonomy.

Water Forget me not Facts

Plant Description

Water forget me not is an evergreen, rhizomatous, herbaceous, creeping perennial, flowering plant that normally grows from 15 to 60 cm tall. The plant is found growing in wet places by streams, pond margins, wet meadows, ditches, swamps, fen and rivers, marshes, riverine, wetland margins, along springs and slow-moving streams. Whilst it favors wet ground, it can survive submerged in water, and often can form floating rafts. Normally roots are fibrous. Stems are mostly unbranched, often angled, decumbent to erect, and inconspicuously hairy.

Stem

Stems are round in cross-section or angled, multiple from the base, creeping to erect, often rooting at the nodes and creating dense colonies from spreading runners (stolons). Stems become widely branched in the upper plant, variously covered in appressed hairs, sometimes spreading hairs. They can be up to 1 ½ foot tall (around half a meter) and are covered in white hair (around half a centimeter long).

Leaves

Leaves are entire, alternate 2.5 to 8 cm long, and 7 to 20 mm wide with scattered, short, flat-lying hairs. The lower leaves are mostly broadest above the middle, rounded at the tip, narrowed at the base to a short stalk, becoming smaller, stalk less or nearly so, and more lance-oblong as they ascend the stem. Surfaces are sparsely to moderately covered in short appressed hairs. Edges are toothless and may have a sparse fringe of hairs especially near the base. Upper leaves are oblong to elliptic and short petiolated or sessile.

Flower

Raceme of stalked flowers at the tips of branching stems, the cluster initially tightly curled at the tip with flowers opening in succession as the tip unfurls and elongates. Flowers are ¼ to 1/3 inch across, bright to pale blue, tubular with 5 spreading, round to egg shaped lobes. The base of the lobes has a scale-like swollen appendage that forms a bright to deep yellow collar around the throat. Flower stalks are about ¼ inch long, elongating in fruit.

The calyx surrounding the base of the flower is shorter than the stalk and has five triangular lobes that are shorter than the calyx tube. Floral tube is longer than the calyx, causing the flower to be flat or even convex across the top. The central stem, flower stalks and the calyx are sparsely to moderately covered in straight, appressed hairs. Flowering normally takes place in between May to September.

Fruit

Fertile flowers are followed by four parted, (a schizocarp) hidden inside the persistent calyx, splitting into four dark, shiny, egg shaped nutlets (mericarps) 2 to 2.5 mm long and smooth, the persistent style in the center is equal to or longer than the nutlets.

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Water forget me not Image Gallery

Legends regarding Water forget me not

There are many legends and folklores related with these perfectly pretty, delicate-looking yet sturdy flowers. Some of them are given below:

1. When God was naming all the creatures and plants in the Garden of Eden, a tiny plant with blue flowers shouted from an obscure corner: “Forget me not, Lord!” And so, God named this tiny plant Forget me not.
2. Another Greek legend goes: A man was roaming around with his lady love besides the river Danube when the lady saw a bush of bright little blooms across the river. The man swam across the river to fetch it for his lady but while returning, the strong tide swept him away. He, however, managed to throw the bunch of flowers at the feet of his beloved and shouted “Forget me not”. The lady kept the flowers with her till the end of her days, and the flower came to be known as Forget me nots.

Forget Me Not flowers Meaning and Symbolism

Forget me not flowers are an important element in Florio logy. People have related this flower with many positive feelings and emotions throughout the ages and across cultures.

1. Love

The most common and widely accepted symbolism for Forget me not flowers is love. As the mythological stories and folklores tell us, Forget me not is the symbol of true love that transcends life. Gifting Forget me not flowers to your beloved signify your commitment towards them.

2. Loyalty

Forget me not flowers also mean loyalty and gifting them is a gesture that recommends loyalty and faithfulness. With this flower, you are declaring your everlasting commitment and love towards someone.

3. Remembrance

It is also related with remembrance and the feeling of missing someone. When your near and dear ones are away from you, you can send these flowers to convey that you miss them.

4. Eternal connection

Finally, Forget me not flowers mean an eternal connection with someone, which can never be destroyed.

Forget Me Not Colors and their Meanings

• Blue forget me not flower meaning: Love, loyalty, trust, and remembrance
• White forget me not flower meaning: Spirituality, honesty, and faithfulness
• Pink forget me not flower meaning: Romantic feelings towards someone
• Purple forget me not flower meaning: Respect and recognition

Varieties

All the varieties belong to the Myosotis family. The flowers have 5 petals and sepals and have different colors. Some of them are blue, white, pink, and yellow. You can choose and plant more than one in your garden. There are many and different types of forget me not flower. Some of them are:

1. Wood Forget-Me-Nots

Wood Forget-Me-Nots are a beautiful flower. They tend to bloom anywhere from the middle of spring until the middle of summer. They come in colors such as bright blue, pink, or white with white or yellow eyes.

2. Victoria Rose Forget-Me-Nots

All Forget-Me-Nots are beautiful, but Victoria Rose Forget-Me-Nots may be one of the most. These flowers bloom into a lovely pink or dusty rose color. The eyes of these flowers are yellow or almost a gold color.

3. Field Forget-Me-Nots

Much like other Forget-Me-Nots, the Field kind is native to Asia but has been introduced to North America. These flowers are largely found in Northern and Eastern North America. When this plant flowers, the five petals are traditionally a light blue with a yellow eye.

4. Water Forget-Me-Nots

Water Forget-Me-Nots are found growing throughout North America, mostly in the wetlands and New England. These flowers thrive in moisture-rich or wet environments, like lakes and rivers, hence the name. These perennial flowers grow in shades of blue and purple, and they have five petals each.

5. Alpine Forget-Me-Nots

Alpine Forget-Me-Nots are popularly known as Scorpion Grass. They are very common in the United Kingdom, but they can grow well in basic rock formations, meadows, and damp woodlands in the United States. They begin flowering in the spring and last until early summer.

6. Tufted Forget-Me-Nots

Also known as Bay or Small Flower Forget-Me-Nots, the Tufted Forget-Me-Not is a beautiful flower and a little unique as far as these flowers are concerned. Most Forget-Me-Nots are shades of blue, but these are so light blue they border on white. You can even find them in red, purple, and dark blue.

7. Strict Forget-Me-Nots

While the vast majority of Forget-Me-Nots are some shade of blue, Strict Forget-Me-Nots are commonly known as Blue Forget-Me-Nots. These grow throughout parts of North America and boast shades of light blue when they bloom. They’re one of the easiest to bloom in the Forget-Me-Not family.

8. Changing Forget-Me-Nots

Changing Forget-Me-Nots get their name because they change colors throughout their blooming season. When they first bloom, they’re a yellow or cream color, and then they switch to pink before eventually reaching a blue color.

9. Early Forget-Me-Nots

Early Forget-Me-Nots didn’t originate in Asia like many of the others. It’s believed they came from the very North of the United Kingdom. That being said, they tend to do very well in colder environments.

10. Lapland Forget-Me-Nots

Lapland Forget-Me-Nots are native to Northern Finland. Therefore they prefer cold environments. They thrive in woodlands and areas with small springs, where moisture is in the soil. You’ll need to keep the soil adequately wet when planting these in your yard.

Traditional uses and benefits of Water forget me not

• It is used in the treatment of whooping cough and bronchitis.
• The extracts from the roots, barks, and flowers of the Forget me not plant are used to treat conditions like nose bleed, asthma and allergy, lung diseases, and more.
• When you drink this tea the blood pressure will be reduced, it can also help you relax and sleep well.
• It can be used to stop the bleeding (use it externally), as a remedy for eye conditions.
• It also cures nosebleeds.
• It improves lung, stomach and kidney functioning.
• If you suffer from insomnia or interrupted sleep, drink a cup of forget me not flower tea before bed to help you get a good night sleep.
• Forget me not increase endurance and metabolism.
• Vitamin C found in Water forget me not also brightens the skin and fights premature aging.
• People believe that the consumption of forget me not can relieve stress and stretch the nerves.
• Best known for nourishing the skin, it prevents blemishes, wrinkles and reduces dark spots.
• It is also valuable to boost digestion, speed up metabolism and act as a slimming aid.

Other Facts

• Forget me not is the official state flower of Alaska.
• You can gift forget me not flowers to your beloved on any occasion that you deem fit.
• It is the most appropriate romantic flower to express your love, or when you miss someone.
• Forget me not flowers are the birth month flower for September.
• Forget me not tattoo is the most popular flower tattoo.
• Forget me not flower tattoo means true love, hope, and courage.
• Forget me not symbolizes International Missing Children’s Day.
• It is a symbol of the Armenian Genocide Centennial.
• Several countries, including Newfoundland, use this flower to pay homage to soldiers who died during World War 1.
• In 1917, when Alaska was still a territorial area, people used forget me not as an emblem. When this region has become a country, this flower has become a national identity.
• The Alzheimer’s Society uses forget-me-nots as a symbol for memory loss and to raise awareness for the disease.
• The flower represents fidelity and never-ending love.

References:

https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/MYOPA

https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=31697#null

https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Myosotis+scorpioides

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a643

http://www.misin.msu.edu/facts/detail/?project=misin&id=144&cname=True+forget-me-not

http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2358330

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myosotis_scorpioides

https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/276544

https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?SpeciesID=2686

http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Myosotis+scorpioides

https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q147165

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/myosotis/scorpioides/

https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/true-forget-me-not

https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/forget_not.html

https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=MYSC

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