296 FLORA HISTORICA. 



SCABIOUS. Scahiosa. 



Natural Order Aggregate Dtpsacece. A Genus of the 

 Tetrandria Monogynia Class. 



Tins plant derives its name from Scabies^ because 

 the common sort is said to cure this and other cuta- 

 neous complaints 3 and on this account it is fabled 

 that the devil having found the plant in Paradise, 

 and envying the good this herb might do to the 

 human race, bit away a part of the root in order to 

 destroy the plant, but which still continues to 

 flourish with a stumped root, and hence one of the 

 species is called Devil's Bit. 



The Indian, or Sweet Scabious, Scabiiis Afro- 

 piirpurea, is called by tlie Italians Fior della Ve- 

 dova, and by the French Fleur de Veuve, both of 

 which means the Widow's Flower, and from hence 

 it is made to express, in floral language, " I have 

 lost all." 



We learn from Parkinson, that this species of 

 Scabious was common in our gardens previous to 

 ieS9; and this author mentions his doubts about 

 its Indian origin, as he tells us, that it was then 

 growing spontaneously in Spain and Italy : and 



