Scabiosa atropurpurea L., it is a branched biennial or perennial, up to 20-60 cm tall, glabrous to pilose or somewhat hirsute. Basal leaves oblong-spathulate, lyrate, entire, dentate or pinnatisect, long petiolate. Mid and upper cauline leaves pinnatifid or pinnatisect; segments, linear, entire or dentate. Upper most cauline leaves becoming linear entire. Peduncles 2-4 (-6) cm, filiform, slender, pubescent. Involucral bracts 8-10, narrowly lanceolate, wider towards the base, 5-6 mm long, as long as or shorter than the flowers. Heads (15-) 20 (-30) mm in diam., radiate; fruiting head oblong-ellipsoid or ovoid-oblong. Involucel tube 1-1.5 (-2) mm long, sub-globular; ribs 8, hispid to sub glabrous; pits or grooves absent; corona equal to the involucel body, broadly infundibuliform, hispid, 8-ribbed; ribs joining at margin; margin with an enrolled, undulated whitish membrane; diaphragm conical; setae of the calyx 5, 3-5 times as long as corona. on a long stipe, base with few globose, stalked glandular hairs, rest scabrid. Corolla of the marginal flowers 10-12 (-18) mm, slightly longer than the central flowers, lilac to dark purple, outer flowers with entire petals.
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