Seasonal Wild Flowers

Devil's-bit Scabious

Succisa pratensis

Caprifoliaceae

June to October

It is found throughout the country except for part of the

East Midlands.

See the BSBI distribution map for Devil's-bit Scabious

It grows in moist slightly acidic soils in heaths, grassland

and open parts of woods.

It is less frequent on lime.

Devil's-bit Scabious is a native, perennial herb, growing

up to 1m.

Flowerheads are up to 2.5cm across and are more

spherical and a darker blue than Field or Small Scabious.

Inner and outer florets have 4 roughly equal-sized petals.

The stamens and anthers appear before the styles and

stigmas.

Stigmas, close-up, are purple balls.

The sepals are more obvious than in the other scabiouses.

Lower leaves are elliptical and longish, often with purplish

spots.

Upper leaves are narrower.

Devil's-bit Scabious, Kingcombe, Dorset

Protandrous flowerhead, stamens

Flowerhead, styles and stigmas

4-petalled inner florets, spherical stigmas

Pink and purple anthers

Sepals - from below

Upper and lower leaves