The Forgetmenot
The Forget Me Not Flower
The Forget Me Not is the common name for a small blue flower of the genus myosotis. Myosotis is a combination of 'mus' (mouse) and 'otis' (ear). That name refers to the shape of the leaves.
The name myosotis originates from the Ancient Greek μυοσωτίς meaning "mouse's ear", which the flower is said to resemble. It is also known as Scorpion Grass.
The Forget Me Not is the official flower of Alaska and of Dalsland in Sweden.
They are a popular food source for butterflies.
Herbal Medicine
Forget-me-not flower has a long history in herbalism, and is still used today to treat various health issues. It contains saponin glycosides, tannins, bitter compounds, flavonoids, iridoid glycosides and silicic acid. Historically it has been used to treat nerve-related disorders, depression, digestive issues and as a mild sedative. Additionally, it contains antiseptic properties and anti-inflammatory compounds making it useful for skin care applications such as eczema and dermatitis. In terms of safety concerns, there are few known adverse reactions likely due to the low levels of active components in the dried flowers; however not much research has been conducted so caution should be exercised if considering self-medicating with forget-me-nots.
The Name
According to Greek mythology, the supreme god Zeus thought he had given all the plants are name, whereupon the small blue flower shouted “forget me not!”. TThus Zeus decided to make life easy for himself by appointing the plant that very name.
A European medieval legend has a French knight picking a bunch of flowers for his beloved, losing his balance he fell into the water and promptly sank because of the weight of his armor. As he drowned, he threw the flowers to his beloved shouting, “Forget me not”.
Forget Me Nots and Freemasonry
Forget-me-nots have a strong symbolic value and flower is said to represent fidelity and never-ending love. Alzheimer Societies around the world have adopted it as their symbol of memory loss.
In Freemasonry the Forget Me not has been relatively recently adopted as the symbol of remembrance for masons persecuted and murdered in Germany and occupied territories in WW2 by the Nazis.