SCABIOUS. 297 



ve find Mr. Alton has left its native country un- 

 decided in the Ilortus Knwcnsis ; but Messrs. 

 Pirolle and Noisette state it to be indigenous to 

 India, in the late editions of Le Bon Jardinier, and 

 Clusius relates that he received the seeds of this 

 plant from Italy, in the year 1590, under the name 

 of Indian Scabious. 



The Sweet Scabious is a biennial plant, which 

 grows about two feet in height, and in favourable 

 seasons continues to flower from June to Octo- 

 ber, presenting us with corollas of so dark a pur- 

 ple, that they nearly match tha sable hue of the 

 widow's weeds : these being contrasted with an- 

 thers of pure white, gives the idea of its being an 

 appropriate bouquet for those who mourn for their 

 deceased husbands ; and this, we presume, gave rise 

 to the Italian and French name of Widow's Flower. 

 But this plant frequently varies in the colour of its 

 flowers, sometimes producing blossoms of a pale 

 purple at others red, or pleasingly variegated. It 

 also occasionally becomes a proliferous flower, send- 

 ing out small flowers from the calyx in the same 

 manner as the Proliferous or Hen and Chicken 

 Daisy. The scent of the Sweet Scabious is similar 

 to that of musk, but not powerful enough to be 

 offensive to the most delicate person. 



These plants love a light fresh earth, and flourish 

 best in warm situations. Miller directs the seed to 



O 5 



