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Alpine Forget Me Not      
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Alpine Forget Me Not
Photo: Thingnam Girija
Common name: Alpine Forget Me Not, Forget Me Not, True blue
Botanical name: Myosotis alpestris    Family: Boraginaceae (Borage family)
This small blue flower, with a yellow eye, is a forget me not flower, and is quite a common wildflower in temperate climates. Its a small flower, usually only a few millimetres across with shape somewhat similar to that of Vinca or Parijata (Bengali Shefali) flower. Except that the petals , are are not flaring out, but rounded, and flat and arranged in a tight circle, giving the flower perfect round shape. The name "Forget-me-not" was borrowed from Old French "ne m'oubliez pas" and first used in English in 1532. In the 15th century Germany, it was supposed that the wearers of the flower will not be forgotten by their lovers. Legend has it that in medieval times, a knight and his lady were walking along the side of a river. He picked a posy of flowers, but because of the weight of his armour he fell into the river. As he was drowning he threw the posy to his loved one and shouted "Forget-me-not". This is a flower connected with romance and tragic fate. It was often worn by ladies as a sign of faithfulness and enduring love. While they are found in several shades of blue, some species, like this one, are a clear sky blue, and are described as bringing the intense Blue of Heaven down to earth (Among the Tibetans by Isabella L. Bird) Surely the flowers evokes feelings of perfection and true essence, giving the flower its other name, True Blue.
Photographed in Valley of Flowers, Uttaranchal.
Identification credit: Akhila Sinha