scabious

Sca"bi*ous, a. Etym: [L. scabious, from scabies the scab: cf. F. scabieux.] Defn: Consisting of scabs; rough; itchy; leprous; as, scabious eruptions. Arbuthnot. Sca"bi*ous, n. Etym: [Cf. F. scabieuse. See Scabious, a.] (Bot.) Defn: Any plant of the genus Scabiosa, several of the species of which are common in Europe. They resemble the Compositæ, and have similar heads of flowers, but the anthers are not connected. Sweet scabious (a) Mourning bride. (b) A daisylike plant (Erigeron annuus) having a stout branching stem.

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