Cynoglossum amabile explained

Cynoglossum amabile, the Chinese hound's tongue^[1] or Chinese forget-me-not, is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae, native to Asia. A hardy annual growing to 50cm (20inches), it has hairy leaves and cymes of sky-blue flowers in late summer. This plant, closely related to the common forget-me-not of temperate gardens (Myosotis sylvatica), is also grown as an ornamental.^[2] In cultivation in the UK it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.^[3] (confirmed 2017).^[4]

The Latin specific epithet amabile means "lovely".^[5]

Toxicity

Cynoglossum amabile contains tumorigenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids^[6] such as amabiline.^[7]

Notes and References

1. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CYAM3 Cynoglossum amabile
2. Web site: Cynoglossum amabile at NC State University . 2007-04-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070203182654/http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/annuals/chineseforgetmenot.html . 2007-02-03 . dead .
3. Web site: Cynoglossum amabile - Chinese forget-me-not . . 15 August 2018.
4. Web site: AGM Plants - Ornamental . July 2017 . 26 . Royal Horticultural Society . 24 January 2018.
5. Book: Harrison, Lorraine . RHS Latin for Gardeners . 2012 . Mitchell Beazley . United Kingdom . 978-1845337315 .
6. Fu . Peter P. . Yang . Ya-Chen . Xia . Qingsu . Chou . M.W. . Cui . Y.Y. . Lin . G. . 2002 . Pyrrolizidine alkaloids - tumorigenic components in Chinese herbal medicines and dietary supplements . Journal of Food and Drug Analysis . 10 . 4 . 198–211 . 2018-08-15.
7. 10.1071/CH9672499 . The alkaloids of Cynoglossum australe R.Br. And C. Amabile Stapf & Drummond . Australian Journal of Chemistry . 20 . 11 . 2499 . 1967 . Culvenor . CCJ . Smith . LW .