Scabiosa columbaria L.

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Scabiosa columbaria

Photo: Petra Ballings
Northern road before turn-off to Nganda Hill, Nyika National Park

Scabiosa columbaria

Photo: Petra Ballings
Northern road before turn-off to Nganda Hill, Nyika National Park

Scabiosa columbaria

Photo: Bart Wursten
Northern road before turn-off to Nganda Hill, Nyika National Park

Scabiosa columbaria

Photo: Bart Wursten
Northern road before turn-off to Nganda Hill, Nyika National Park

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Scabiosa austro-africana Heine
Common names: African white scabious (English)
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Perennial herb. Leaves deeply and irregularly lobed and concentrated around the lower part of the plant. The long slender stems have a terminal head of small flowers, surrounded by bristly bracts. The flowers are mostly pure white but occasional pink or lilac forms occur.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: columbaria: dove-like or dove-coloured.
Habitat: In open woodland, grassland and mountain slopes.
Altitude range: 800 - 2500 m
Flowering time:Sep - Jan
Worldwide distribution: From South Africa to Ethiopia, Near-East, North Africa and Europe.
Malawi distribution: N,C,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated: Monday 1 April 2019
Literature:

Bandeira, S., Bolnick, D. & Barbosa, F. (2007). Wild Flowers of Southern Mozambique Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique Pages 199 - 200. (Includes a picture).

Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 138. (Includes a picture).

Cannon, M.J. & J.F.M. (1983). Dipsacaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(1) Pages 81 - 84. (Includes a picture).

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 49.

Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 31.

Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 52.

Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 410 - 411. (Includes a picture).

Goodier, R. & Phipps, J.B. (1961). A revised checklist of the vascular plants of the Chimanimani Mountains Kirkia 1 Page 64.

Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 77. (Includes a picture).

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 39.

Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 45.

Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 135, plate 176

Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 438 - 439. (Includes a picture).

Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 54.

Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 79.

Van Wyk, B. & Malan, S. (1988). Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of the Witwatersrand and Pretoria Region Struik, Cape Town Pages 56 - 57. (Includes a picture).

Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 91.

Other sources of information about Scabiosa columbaria:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Scabiosa columbaria
Flora of Mozambique: Scabiosa columbaria
Flora of Zambia: Scabiosa columbaria
Flora of Zimbabwe: Scabiosa columbaria

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Scabiosa columbaria
African Plant Database: Scabiosa columbaria
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Scabiosa columbaria
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Scabiosa columbaria
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Scabiosa columbaria
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Scabiosa columbaria
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Scabiosa columbaria
JSTOR Plant Science: Scabiosa columbaria
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Scabiosa columbaria
Plants of the World Online: Scabiosa columbaria
Tropicos: Scabiosa columbaria
Wikipedia: Scabiosa columbaria


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Malawi: Species information: Scabiosa columbaria.
https://www.malawiflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=156960, retrieved 9 November 2024

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