Scabiosa columbaria explained

Scabiosa columbaria, called the small scabious or dwarf pincushion flower, is a widespread species of flowering plant in the genus Scabiosa, native to Europe, Africa, and western Asia, from Sweden to Angola.^{[1] [2]} In the garden it is a short-lived deciduous perennial.^[3] In the wild in Europe it prefers to grow in calcareous grasslands.^[4]

Growing to 1m (03feet) tall by 0.5m (01.6feet), it has simple branched grey-green leaves, and pale lavender or blue multi-petalled flowers from summer to autumn.^[2]

Subspecies

The following subspecies are currently accepted:^[1]

• Scabiosa columbaria subsp. banatica (Waldst. & Kit.) Diklic
• Scabiosa columbaria subsp. caespitosa Jamzad
• Scabiosa columbaria subsp. columbaria
• Scabiosa columbaria subsp. pratensis (St.-Lag.) Braun-Blanq.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Scabiosa columbaria L. . . 2017 . Plants of the World Online . Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . 31 December 2020 .
2. Web site: Scabiosa columbaria small scabious . The Royal Horticultural Society . 31 December 2020 . Other common names; lilac-flowered scabious .
3. Book: When Perennials Bloom: An Almanac for Planning and Planting . Ani Ko . Tomasz . 413 . January 2008 . 9780881928877 .
4. Land use affects flowering time: Seasonal and genetic differentiation in the grassland plant Scabiosa columbaria . 2009 . Reisch . Christoph . Poschlod . Peter . Evolutionary Ecology . 23 . 5 . 753–764 . 10.1007/s10682-008-9270-4 . 32021366 .