Common name: Pincushion
Scabiosa atropurpurea L. APNI* Synonyms: Sixalix atropurpurea (L.) Greuter & Burdet APNI*
Description: Erect herb to 60 cm high.
Basal leaves lyrate-pinnatifid to coarsely toothed, elliptic to oblanceolate in outline, up to 12 cm long and 2 cm wide; cauline leaves deeply pinnatifid, smaller.
Heads semiglobose in flower; ovoid in fruit, 1–3 cm long, c. 1 cm diam.; scapes usually up to 30 cm long, ± leafless. Receptacle bracts linear-lanceolate; not pungent. Corolla 8–22 mm long, dark-purple to white.
Achene narrow-ellipsoid, forming a beak below the persistent calyx, enclosed in epicalyx, with 8 ribs along lower part.
Flowering: throughout year.
Distribution and occurrence: Cultivated as an ornamental, sometimes naturalized; south from Kandos district. Native of Medit. region.
NSW subdivisions: *SC, *CT, *ST, *CWS, *SWS
Other Australian states: *Tas. *S.A.
Text by L. Retter
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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