Myosotis (/ˌmaɪ.əˈsoʊtɪs/;2 from the Greek: μυοσωτίς "mouse's ear", after the leaf) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae. In the northern hemisphere they are commonly called forget-me-nots3 or scorpion grasses. The common name "forget-me-not" was calqued from the German Vergissmeinnicht, and first used in English in 1398 AD via King Henry IV.4 Similar names and variations are found in many languages. Myosotis alpestris is the state flower of Alaska.5 Plants of this genus are commonly confused with Chatham Islands forget-me-nots which belong to a related genus, Myosotidium.
by Marigold-Nicode April 10, 2017