THE FIELD SCABIOUS. 98 



The Field Scabious (Scabiosa arvensis). 



Should any reader who has not previously made a study of 

 botany, but who has followed us thus far, be asked to name the 

 order to which the Scabious belongs, he would almost certainly 

 say the Compositae. He would be wrong, but almost right. 

 Scabious is certainly a Composite flower, though not one of the 

 Compositae ; it is, instead, included in the order Dipsaceae. 

 We have already made the acquaintance of so many composite 

 flowers that our readers may be presumed to be fairly familiar 

 with their general structure. It will be remembered, then, that 

 the anthers of Composites are all joined together to form a tube : 

 in Dipsaceae they are free. Again, the calyx in Compositae is 

 reduced to a series of hairs (pappus), whilst in Dipsaceae there 

 is a distinct tubular calyx invested in a separate involucel (or 

 little involucre) of tiny bracts, quite independent of the common 

 involucre that invests the whole head of florets. 



I. The Field Scabious (S. arvensis), is a perennial with a stout rootstock, and a 

 hairy stem. The leaves vary considerably in different specimens, but usually those 

 from the root are entire, of an oblong lance-shape, with toothed margins. The stem 

 leaves are lobed, sometimes almost pinnate. The flower-heads are borne on a long 

 stout stalk, and consist of about fifty florets, increasing in size from the centre to 

 the outer margin, and of a pale blue or lilac colour, the central ones more inclined to 

 red ; anthers yellow. Involucral bracts broad and leaf-like, in two rows. Dry 

 fields and downs. June to September. 



II. Devil's-bit Scabious (S. snccisa). Rootstock short, coming to an abrupt con- 

 clusion, as though bitten off. Culpepper accounts for this and the name by saying : 

 "This root was longer, until the Devil (as the friars say), bit away the rest from 

 spite, envying its usefulness to mankind ; for sure he was not troubled with any 

 disease for which it is proper." Leaves all entire. Involucral bracts lance-shaped, 

 shorter than the corollas, in two or three rows. Anthers reddish-brown. Florets 

 nearly equal in size. Flowers purplish-blue, sometimes white. July to October, in 

 meadows and pastures. 



III. Small Scabious (S. columbaria). Rootstock thick and woody. Root leaves 

 entire, narrow ; stem leaves deeply cut, almost pinnate. Involucral bracts longer 

 than the corollas, in one row. Corollas five-lobed (in the other species four-lobed), the 

 outer row considerably larger than the inner ones, and of irregular form. Anthers 

 yellow, corollas purplish-blue. July to September, in pastures and wastes. 



The name is derived from the Latin, scabies, the itch, it being formerly used in 

 curing this and other cutaneous disorders. 



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