Devil's-bit Scabious

Common Name: Devil’s-bit Scabious

Latin Name: Succisa pratensis

Family: Dipsacaceae

Devil’s-bit scabious is a member of the teasel family (Dipsacaceae). The name scabious comes from the properties of the plant which allegedly cured leprosy or scabies. Devil’s bit refers to the abrupt ending of the rootstock which appears to have been bitten. Another name for the plant is Blue-caps.

Devil’s-bit scabious can be found on damp grasslands, wood margins and road verges. The pretty pale lilac-blue flowers appear from June until early autumn. Devil’s-bit scabious is one of the three species of scabious which occur in the Dales. Small scabious (Scabiosa columbaria) and Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis) can be distinguished from Devil’s-bit by their divided basal leaves.