Scabiosa columbaria, called the small scabious or dwarf pincushion flower, is a widespread species of flowering plant in the genus Scabiosa, native to Europe, Africa, and western Asia, from Sweden to Angola.[2][3] In the garden it is a short-lived deciduous perennial.[4] In the wild in Europe it prefers to grow in calcareous grasslands.[5]

Growing to 1 m (3.3 ft) tall by 0.5 m (1.6 ft), it has simple branched grey-green leaves, and pale lavender or blue multi-petalled flowers from summer to autumn.[3]

Subspecies

The following subspecies are currently accepted:[2]

  • Scabiosa columbaria subsp. banatica (Waldst. & Kit.) Diklic
  • Scabiosa columbaria subsp. caespitosa Jamzad
  • Scabiosa columbaria subsp. columbaria
  • Scabiosa columbaria subsp. pratensis (St.-Lag.) Braun-Blanq.

References

  1. ^ Sp. Pl.: 99 (1753)
  2. ^ a b c "Scabiosa columbaria L." Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Scabiosa columbaria small scabious". The Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 31 December 2020. Other common names; lilac-flowered scabious
  4. ^ Ani Ko, Tomasz (January 2008). When Perennials Bloom: An Almanac for Planning and Planting. p. 413. ISBN 9780881928877.
  5. ^ Reisch, Christoph; Poschlod, Peter (2009). "Land use affects flowering time: Seasonal and genetic differentiation in the grassland plant Scabiosa columbaria". Evolutionary Ecology. 23 (5): 753–764. doi:10.1007/s10682-008-9270-4. S2CID 32021366.