Changing Forget-Me-Not vs Common Water Forget-Me-Not

Myosotis discolor compared with Myosotis scorpioides

Key Differences

Changing Forget-Me-Not is Endangered while Common Water Forget-Me-Not is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Changing Forget-Me-Not	Common Water Forget-Me-Not
Kingdom same	Plantae (planta)	Plantae (planta)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order same	Boraginales (Boraginales)	Boraginales (Boraginales)
Family same	Boraginaceae	Boraginaceae
Genus same	Myosotis	Myosotis
Species	Myosotis discolor	Myosotis scorpioides

Evolutionary Relationship

Changing Forget-Me-Not and Common Water Forget-Me-Not share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Myosotis.

Vista Genus: Myosotis

Conservation Status

Changing Forget-Me-Not

EN — Endangered

Common Water Forget-Me-Not

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Changing Forget-Me-Not	Common Water Forget-Me-Not
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Changing Forget-Me-Not

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, montane grasslands and shrublands, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands, among 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (Georgia, Japan), Europe (8 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Argentina, Chile, Ecuador). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Water Forget-Me-Not

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (India, Japan), Europe (7 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Argentina, Chile, Ecuador).

Changing Forget-Me-Not

The Changing Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis discolor) is a species in the genus Myosotis. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, montane grasslands and shrublands, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands, among 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane

Common Water Forget-Me-Not

<em>Myosotis scorpioides</em>, commonly known as the common water forget-me-not, is a perennial wetland herb belonging to the family Boraginaceae. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN and has a broad distribution across Europe, Asia, and North America, where it has been widely naturalized. The species typically grows along the margins of slow-moving rivers, streams, ditches, ponds, and marshes, rooting in wet mud or shallow water. It is a low-growing plant with elongated, softly hairy leaves and produces the characteristically small sky-blue flowers with yellow centers arranged in curved cymes that unfurl as new blooms open — a feature called scorpioid inflorescence, which gives the plant its scientific epithet. Flowering typically occurs from late spring through summer, attracting a variety of small pollinators including bees and hoverflies. <em>Myosotis scorpioides</em> spreads through both seed dispersal and creeping stolons, allowing it to form dense mats in favorable wetland habitats. Biological traits including average lifespan, height, and mass remain poorly documented in standardized databases, though the plant typically reaches 20–40 cm in height. Ecologically, the common water forget-me-not contributes to riverbank stabilization and provides cover and foraging habitat for wetland invertebrates. It is also widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in water garden settings across its native and introduced range.