Knautia arvensis
Dipsacaceae
June to October
Everywhere except for parts of the Northwest
For a map see the Online Atlas of the British and Irish Flora - Field Scabious
It is found in chalk and limestone grassland, in rough pasture, open hedgerows and the edges of woods, and beside roads, paths, railways. It is sometimes planted in the wild flower sections of churchyards.
Field Scabious is a native, perennial herb, growing up to 1m.
Flower-heads are attractive, lilac, flattish and up to 3 cm across.
Indivdual florets have 4 joined petals. The marginal florets have lobed and larger petals than than the central ones.
Flowers are protandrous (stamens before styles). There are 2-4 stamens per floret with pink or blue anthers.
Styles are white and slender with simple or 2-lobed stigmas. The older florets show the remains of the stamens (picture 7).
Stems are robust.
Leaves are lanceolate and variously lobed.
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Field Scabious - churchyard, Dorset
First flower-heads - protandrous
Stamens - 2-4 per floret
Later flower-head with styles and stigmas
Bilobed stigmas
Outer and inner 4 petalled florets -anthers
4-petalled inner florets -stigmas
Sepals on opening flower-head
Lower leaf
Upper leaf
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