SCABIOUS. 323 



Italy, and we find Mr. Alton has left its native 

 country undecided in the Hortus Kewensis ; but 

 Messrs. PiroUe and Noisette state it to be indi- 

 genous to India in the late editions of " Le Bon 

 Jardmicr;' 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 it continues to flower from June to Octo- 

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

 ple that they nearly match the sable hue of the 

 Widow's Weeds; and these being contrasted 

 with anthers of pure white, gives the idea of its 

 being an appropriate bouquet for those who 

 mourn for their deceased tmsbands, and this, we 

 presume, gave rise to the Italian and French 

 name of Widow's Flower. But this plant fre- 

 quently varies in the colour of its flowers, some- 

 times 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 



Y 2 



