The VEGETABLE SYSTEM. 
59 
io. PURPLE SCABIOUS. 
Plate 29 . Fig. 2 . musk scabious. 
Chara&er of the Species. Scabiofa Atropurpurea. 
The lower Leaves are pinnatifid with a broad harp’d end ; 
the others are limply pinnatifid, with long flender Seg- 
ments. 
Fig. 2. a b. 
This is an annual, native of the Eaft-Indies, a Plant of two feet and 
a half high, covered with Flowers in July, whofe fine deep colour, 
and perfumed fcent, have long made it a favourite in our gardens. 
Though an annual with us, it is a perennial, woody Plant in its native 
foil, as are many others ; and it will live through mild winters, and 
become woody alfo fometimes with us. The Stalks are brown toward 
the bale, but of a good green upwards. The Leaves are of a bright 
green. The Flowers are purple, dotted as it were with their own 
white ftyles. 
11. SILVERY SCABIOUS. 
Plate 30. Fig. 1. 
Chara&er of the Species. Scabiofa Argentea. 
The lower Leaves are pinnatifid ; the upper ones are only 
dented irregularly, and that mod: near the point. 
Fig. I .ah. 
This is a perennial, native of the greek iflands, a very beautiful 
Plant, flowering all the fummer. It grows to near a yard in heighth, 
and branches wildly and irregularly ; the Stalk is glofly, firm, and 
white. I fhould fay Vaillant had hit upon a lucky thought in liken- 
ing it to ivory, but that, with me at leaft, it is uiually ltain’d a little 
with crimfon. The Leaver are of a delicate filvery white ; the Flowers 
are of a very pale crimfon. Sometimes they are fmall and very red, at 
other times they fpread out into a great breadth, and get a great deal of 
a blueifh tinge } this latter ftate is commonly the effect of a too clofe 
green-houfe culture. The Plant will ftand very well in the open air, 
and it is there it gets the true middle fize, and flrong glowing colour of 
its Flowers, in which cafe it is fo very much fuperior to the fickly, 
fpread out, blueifh afpedt of the green-houfe, and the flarved condition 
H 2 that 
