830503-04 The Myosotis decumbens aggregate M. decumbens, M. pseudovariabilis
Geography: European - Asian.
Notes: Petrovsky (1980a, PAF proposal) accepted Myosotis sylvatica with two races: subsp. frigida (= M. decumbens) and subsp. pseudovariabilis. Western and central European authors (e.g., Grau and Merxmüller 1972) accept M. decumbens and M. sylvatica as two species differing in several presumably independently inherited characters in life form, calyx shape, calyx/corolla ratio, length of calyx hairs, nutlet size and shape of attachment, and ploidy level. We have checked the morphological characters and find them reliable for separation. Grau and Merxmüller divided each of the two species on several subspecies. In this approach, M. sylvatica Hoffm. becomes a mainly nemoral European plant, whereas M. decumbens becomes Scandinavian-Alpine.
Nikiforova (2001) proposed a subgeneric classification of Myosotis. She assigned M. sylvatica s. lat. and M. decumbens s. lat. to different subsections, Sylvaticae and Decumbentes, each with several series, and assigned both M. decumbens and M. pseudovariabilis to a series Decumbentes. In our concept they would probably be better considered as races but we know of no such combination for "pseudovariabilis" within M. decumbens. We therefore enter two species.
Higher Taxa
- Myosotis [8305,genus]