''Myosotidium'' is a genus of plants belonging to the family

Boraginaceae Boraginaceae, the Borago, borage or forget-me-not family, includes about 2,000 species of shrubs, trees, and herbs in 146 to 154 genus, genera with a worldwide distribution. The APG IV system from 2016 classifies the Boraginaceae as single famil ...

. This genus is represented by the single species ''Myosotidium hortensia'', the Chatham Islands lily, giant forget-me-not or Chatham Islands forget-me-not, which is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the

Chatham Islands The Chatham Islands ( ; Moriori language, Moriori: , 'Misty Sun'; ) are an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean about east of New Zealand's South Island, administered as part of New Zealand, and consisting of about 10 islands within an approxima ...

, New Zealand. In the

Māori language Māori (; endonym: 'the Māori language', commonly shortened to ) is an Eastern Polynesian languages, Eastern Polynesian language and the language of the Māori people, the indigenous population of mainland New Zealand. The southernmost membe ...

, it is known by the name kopukapuka. The biogeography is yet unresolved, but its ancestors may have originated from the American continent, as ''Myosotidium hortensia'' was found to be sister to the South American plant genus '' Selkirkia'' and both genera being sister to the North American genus '' Mimophytum''. ''Myosotidium hortensia'' is a fleshy

herb Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...

with large orbicular somewhat fleshy leaves and apparently parallel leaf venation. The inflorescence bears numerous blue flowers in the late spring. The relatively large blackish seeds are winged. It is much planted as a garden ornamental flower in New Zealand and elsewhere. In addition to the blue-flowered species, 'Alba', a white flowered cultivar is also popular in cultivation. In its natural habitat, ''M. hortensia'' occurs near beaches under the direct influence of sea-water spray and sea-winds.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1213832 Boraginoideae Flora of the Chatham Islands Monotypic Boraginales genera Garden plants Boraginaceae genera Taxa named by Henri Ernest Baillon Taxa named by Joseph Decaisne