Scabiosa columbaria belongs to the pincushion family and they get their name from their flowerheads, you can clearly see the 'pins' on this half-open flower head. This is a popular plant with butterflies and various coloured hybrids are grown in gardens. I really like the look of the flowerhead after the flowers have finished blooming. The common name 'scabious' comes from traditional usage to treat scabies although I'm not aware of this particular scabious being used this way. Scabiosa are found all over the world and perhaps some of them are used that way.
This plant is also used medicinally: it has large, fleshy roots which are used as a tea for indigestion and colic. Although little is known about the active ingredients, Phenolic compounds have been isolated from the roots and these are found in other plants that are also used as indigestion remedies. The roots are also dried and ground and have been used as a pleasant-smelling baby powder.
Sources:
Medicinal Plants of South Africa by Ben-Erik van Wyk, Bosch van Oudtshoorn, Nigel Gericke. Briza Publications, Second improved edition, 2000
