| Scabiosa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scabiosa columbaria 'Pink Mist' | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Dipsacales |
| Family: | Caprifoliaceae |
| Subfamily: | Dipsacoideae |
| Genus: | Scabiosa L., nom cons. |
| Species | |
SeeSpecies section. | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Synonymy
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Scabiosa/skeɪbiˈoʊsə/[2] is agenus in the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae) offlowering plants.[3] Many of the species in this genus have common names that include the wordscabious, but some plants commonly known as scabious are currently classified in related genera such asKnautia andSuccisa; at least some of these were formerly placed inScabiosa. Another common name for members of this genus ispincushion flowers.
The common name 'scabious' comes the Latin wordscabiosus meaning 'mangy, rough or itchy' which refers to the herb's traditional usage as afolk medicine to treatscabies, an illness that causes a severe itching sensation.[4]
Some species ofScabiosa areannuals, othersperennials. Some areherbaceous plants; others have woodyrootstocks. The leaves of most species are somewhat hairy and partly divided into lobes, but a few are smooth and some species have simple leaves. The flowers are borne oninflorescences in the form ofheads; each head contains many small florets, each floret cupped in a membranous, saucer-shaped bract. Thecalyx has fivesepals in the form of awns almost as long as the petals. After the flowers have dropped, thecalyces together with the bracts form a spiky ball that may be the reason for the "pincushion" common name. The calyx is persistent and remains as a crown on the fruit after it is shed. Thecorolla has four to five lobes fringing a narrow funnel with a furry throat, the funnel being somewhat longer than the lobes. The florets have four stamens each, set high in the tube, and sticking out. Each fruit has just one seed.
In a few species the heads aresessile but in most species they are borne singly on a tallpeduncle.
Scabiosa species and varieties differ in the colours of their flowers, but most are soft lavender blue, lilac or creamy white.
It was first published inSpecies Plantarum on page 98 in 1753.[5]
As accepted byPlants of the World Online;[5]
Members of this genus are native to Africa, Europe and Asia. Some species ofScabiosa, notablysmall scabious (S. columbaria) andMediterranean sweet scabious (S. atropurpurea) have been developed into cultivars for gardeners.
In 1782, a mysterious pale yellow scabious, called "Scabiosa trenta", was described byBelsazar Hacquet, an Austrian physician, botanist, and mountaineer, in his workPlantae alpinae Carniolicae. It became a great source of inspiration for later botanists and mountaineers discovering theJulian Alps, especiallyJulius Kugy. The Austrian botanistAnton Kerner von Marilaun later proved Belsazar Hacquet had not found a new species, but a specimen of the already known submediterraneanCephalaria leucantha.[6]
They are found in various habitats such asScabiosa solymica (formerly namedLomelosia solymica), which is achasmophyte (a plant adapted to growing in crevices or hollows) ofmontane, sea facing cliffs of theTahtalı Dağı (mountain) in the westernTaurus Mountains, south of Antalya, Turkey.[7]
Scabious flowers are nectar rich and attractive to many insects includingbutterflies andmoths such as thesix-spot burnet.Scabiosa species are food plants for thelarvae of some species ofLepidoptera such as thegrey pug moth.[citation needed]
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