Myosotis arvensis
Ecology
An annual or biennial herb of open or disturbed ground, especially cultivated fields. Other habitats include woodland edges, open grassland, hedges, scrub, roadsides, walls and quarries. 0-610 m (Nenthead, Cumberland), and exceptionally at 845 m on Great Dun Fell (Westmorland).
Status
Trends
Despite changes in agricultural practice, the distribution of M. arvensis has remained stable since 1900, due in part to its flexible life history and seed longevity. The larger-flowered var. sylvestris is often mistaken for M. sylvatica, but such errors are unlikely to have affected the map.
World Distribution
As an archaeophyte M. arvensis has a Eurosiberian Boreo-temperate distribution; it is widely naturalised outside this range.
Broad Habitats
Light (Ellenberg): 7
Moisture (Ellenberg): 5
Reaction (Ellenberg): 6
Nitrogen (Ellenberg): 6
Salt Tolerance (Ellenberg): 0
January Mean Temperature (Celsius): 3.5
July Mean Temperature (Celsius): 14.6
Annual Precipitation (mm): 1056
Height (cm): 40
Perennation - primary
Life Form - primary
Woodiness
Clonality - primary
Count of 10km squares in Great Britain: 2577
Count of 10km squares in Ireland: 748
Count of 10km squares in the Channel Isles: 8
Atlas Change Index: -0.34
Weighted Changed Factor: -2
Weighted Change Factor Confidence (90%)
JNCC Designations
Atlas text references
Atlas (215a)
.
1988. Comparative Plant Ecology.
.
1986. Atlas of north European vascular plants north of the Tropic of Cancer. 3 vols.
.
1998. Plant crib 1998.
Comment on Life Form