Flower · GBIF taxon 5341184
Water Forget-me-not
Myosotis scorpioidesAlso known as True Forget-Me-Not, Scorpion Grass, Water Mere-Forget-Me-Not, Marsh Forget-Me-Not
Sprawling across shallow streams and marshy borders, water forget-me-not roots readily from nodes to anchor floating mats of bright green foliage. Its classic inflorescence uncoils like a scorpion's tail, revealing clusters of sky-blue, five-lobed blossoms with radiant yellow eyes. These nectar-rich blooms draw solitary bees, hoverflies, and butterflies to riparian edges throughout the warmest months.
WetlandFloweringPerennial
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis)
Predators
- Pond snails
- Flea beetles
- Aphids
ThreatsWetland drainage, herbicide pollution, waterway canalization
HabitatsStream banks, marshes, wet meadows, ditch edges, pond margins
Life spanPerennial (several years)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderBoraginales
- FamilyBoraginaceae
- GenusMyosotis
- SpeciesMyosotis scorpioides
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Contains toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids; do not ingest and keep away from foraging livestock.
- Why it is dangerous
- All plant tissues synthesize pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can cause chronic liver damage in humans and livestock if ingested.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognized by its sky-blue five-petaled flowers with bright yellow centers and sprawling, hairy stems growing in wet mud or water.
- What to do
- Do not harvest or consume wild plants, and prevent horses or cattle from grazing dense riverside stands.
Responsible observation
- Shoreline identification: Scan shallow, slow-moving shallows and marsh edges where floating creeping stems anchor in mud.
- Inflorescence examination: Observe the tightly coiled flower head gradually unfurl as individual blue florets open sequentially.
Frequent Companion (c) Andrew Tree, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Andrew Tree · cc-by
Pollinator Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Family Member (c) aga_l_, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by aga_l_ · cc-by
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