Myosurus minimus Linnaeus. Mousetail. Phen: Mar-May. Hab: Usually in disturbed areas, such as fields in floodplains. Dist: The species is circumboreal and also found in various places in the Southern Hemisphere. Widely distributed in North America, Eurasia, and the Southern Hemisphere. The pre-Columbian occurrence of Myosurus in parts of our area (such as the Coastal Plain and Piedmont of the Atlantic states) is uncertain; it may well be an alien, early introduced from more western parts of se. North America.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: A number of subspecies have been described; if these are recognized, our material in eastern North America is the typic ssp. minimus.

Other Comments: The plant is a winter annual, sprouting from seed in the fall, overwintering as a rosette, and flowering in early spring.

Synonymy: = Ar, C, F, FNA3, G, GrPl, GW2, Il, K1, K3, Mex, Mi, NcTx, NE, NY, RAB, S, S13, Tn, Tx, Va; = n/a – Pa, Tat; = Ranunculus minimus (L.) E.H.L.Krause – K4; > Myosurus minimus L. ssp. minimus – Campbell (1952)

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW
• Great Plains: FACW
• Midwest: FACW
• Northcentral & Northeast: FAC

Heliophily: 8