Knautia arvensis
This is the largest of the UK Scabious species. The flower head is made up of pinkish lilac tubular florets, and the outer petals are larger than the inner ones. It has a long slender stem, with large pinnately lobed leaves. Similar to Small Scabious.
It flowers July to September. and is found in meadows, pastures, hedgerows, open woodland, and roadside verges. Common and widespread, except northern Scotland.
Field Scabious and other related plants were once used to treat scabies and other skin afflictions such as sores caused by the Bubonic Plague.
Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis), nature reserve, Staffordshire, July 2013.
Nature Journeys 