Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 7942217

Tiny Forget-me-not

Myosotis brevis

Also known as Minute-flowered Forget-me-not

Tiny forget-me-not is an ephemeral annual herb that forms diminutive, cryptic rosettes flat against bare gravel, rocky riverbeds, and coastal turf. Its minuscule white flowers, barely one to two millimeters across, frequently self-pollinate or receive visits from micro-pollinators before setting seed rapidly ahead of seasonal drought. Highly camouflaged against mineral gravel and stones, it fills narrow ecological niches in open, disturbed ground where taller vegetation cannot easily crowd it out.

EndemicEphemeralWildflower
Tiny Forget-me-not reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) John Barkla, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by John Barkla · cc-by
—observations
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—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Autotrophic (photosynthetic)
Predators
  • Herbivorous snails
  • Caterpillars
  • Livestock
ThreatsWeed invasion, vehicle disturbance, gravel extraction, and livestock grazing
HabitatsEphemeral wetlands, open gravel river flats, limestone outcrops, and coastal turf
Life spanAnnual (typically 3–8 months)
Classification
  1. FamilyBoraginaceae
  2. SpeciesMyosotis brevis
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
What to notice
Recognize it by microscopic rosettes hugging bare mineral soils, bearing tiny five-lobed white flowers only a millimeter wide.
Support conservation
Keep to established gravel paths, avoid disturbing low-lying river margins, and never remove specimens.
Responsible observation
  • Spotting: Scan closely among sparse pebbles and open sandy soil where the brown-green foliage blends into the substrate.
  • Treading carefully: Watch your footing on dry gravel river terraces to avoid crushing these microscopic rosettes.
Related species
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