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Scabiosa arvensis

Scabiosa arvensis

9.9
A plant that lives for many years with light purple flowers in meadows
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Scabiosa arvensis
  • Gardeners prize Scabiosa arvensis for its delicate bluish-lilac flowers.

Examples

  • The meadow was dotted with Scabiosa arvensis blooming in the summer sun.

  • Botanists recorded the spread of Scabiosa arvensis in the eastern United States.

  • The Scabiosa arvensis blooms beautifully in late summer.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the Scabiosa arvensis for its vibrant color.

  • Gardeners prize Scabiosa arvensis for its delicate bluish-lilac flowers.

  • The meadow was dotted with Scabiosa arvensis blooming in the summer sun.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the Scabiosa arvensis for its vibrant color.

Synonyms

field scabious
vsScabiosa arvensis
  • UK
9.3

A wildflower with blue purple flowers that grows in meadows

is the same plant but noted as introduced specifically in the eastern United States

Surface Forms

Morphology

scabiosa + arvensis

This is a botanical binomial combining the genus name 'Scabiosa' (a flowering plant) with the Latin epithet 'arvensis' (literally ‘of the field’). If a learner knows both constituents, the meaning 'field scabious' (a scabiosa that grows in fields) is directly derivable; botanical Latin epithets are compositional and function similarly across languages.

Etymology

Scabiosa arvensis comes from the plant name Scabiosa, from Latin for 'itch' because people once used these plants to treat skin problems, and arvensis, which means 'of the fields'. That's why the name fits a common field plant with delicate bluish-lilac flowers.