Scabious

Scabious (Scabiosa), an extensive genus of herbaceous plants, exclusively natives of the eastern hemisphere, of the natural order Dipsaceæ (see TEASEL). The flowers are collected in terminal heads, surrounded by a many-leaved involucre, so as to resemble those of the order Compositæ. The Devil's-bit Scabious (S. succisa) is a very common autumnal flower in British pastures. The plant possesses great astringency, but no important medicinal virtues, although it was formerly supposed to be of great efficacy in all scaly eruptions, and hence the name scabious, from Lat. scabies, 'scab,' 'itch.' The end of the root appears as if abruptly bitten off, and the superstition of the middle ages regarded it as bitten off by the devil, out of envy, because of its usefulness to mankind. The Sweet Scabious (S. atropurpurea) is a well-known fragrant garden-flower. It is supposed to be a native of India.