Scabiosa

Taxobox
name = "Scabiosa"

---

image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Scabiosa columbaria" Pink Mist
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Dipsacales
familia = Dipsacaceae
genus = "Scabiosa"
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See Species section.

"Scabiosa" is a genus in the teasel Family Dipsacaceae of flowering plants. Many of the species in this genus have common names that include the word scabious; however some plants commonly known as scabious are currently classified in related genera such as "Knautia" and "Succisa"; at least some of these were formerly placed in "Scabiosa". Another common name for members of this genus is pincushion flowers.

Members of this genus are native to Europe and Asia. Some species of "Scabiosa", notably small scabious ("S. columbaria") and Mediterranean sweet scabious ("S. atropurpurea") have been developed into cultivars for gardeners.

"Scabiosa" plants have many small flowers of soft lavender blue, lilac or creamy white colour borne in a single head on a tall stalk. Scabious flowers are nectar rich and attract a variety of insects including Lepidoptera such as the Six-spot Burnet moth. "Scabiosa" species are also used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Grey Pug.

In 1782, a mysterious pale yellow scabious, called "Scabiosa trenta", was described by Belsazar Hacquet, an Austrian physician, botanist, and mountaineer, in his work "Plantae alpinae Carniolicae". It became a great source of inspiration for later botanists and mountaineers discovering the Julian Alps, especially Julius Kugy. The Austrian botanist Anton Kerner von Marilaun later proved Belsazar Hacquet had not found a new species, but a specimen of the already known submeditteranean "Cephalaria leucantha". [cite web |url=http://www.ukom.gov.si/eng/slovenia/background-information/floral-wealth/16/ |title=Trenta Scabious ("Scabiosa Trenta") |publisher=Republic of Slovenia: Government Communications Office]

Species

Among others:

*"Scabiosa atropurpurea" - Mourning bride, Egyptian rose, Mournful widow, Mediterranean sweet scabious. A hybrid cultivar?
*"Scabiosa canescens" - Fragrant scabious
*"Scabiosa caucasica" - Caucasian pincushion flower
*"Scabiosa columbaria" - Pigeon scabious, Pincushion flower, Small scabious, Dove pincushion; found wild on chalk downland in SE England
*"Scabiosa graminifolia"
*"Scabiosa lucida" - Glossy scabious
*"Scabiosa maritima"
*"Scabiosa ochroleuca" - Yellow scabious, Cream pincushions
*"Scabiosa palaestrina" - Balkan pincushions
*"Scabiosa prolifera" - Carmel daisy
*"Scabiosa stellata" - Sweet scabious, starflower pincushions, Paper moon (variety).
*"Scabiosa triandra" - Southern scabious
*"Scabiosa vestina"

References