Scabiosa africana

Taxonavigation

Taxonavigation: Dipsacales
Classification System: APG IV Superregnum: Eukaryota Regnum: Plantae Cladus: Angiosperms Cladus: Eudicots Cladus: Core eudicots Cladus: Asterids Cladus: Campanulids Ordo: Dipsacales

Familia: Caprifoliaceae
Subfamilia: Dipsacoideae
Tribus: Scabioseae
Genus: Scabiosa
Species: Scabiosa africana

Name

Scabiosa africana L., Sp. Pl., ed. 2.: 145 (1762).

Synonyms

Homotypic
- Asterocephalus africanus (L.) Spreng., Syst. Veg., ed. 16, 1: 380. 1824.
Heterotypic
- Scabiosa altissima Jacq., Stapel. Hort. Vindob. Cult. 2: 87. 1809, nom. illeg. non Mill. (1768).
  - Sclerostemma altissimum Schott in Roemer & Schultes, Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis, 3: 82. 1818, nom. inval. pro syn. (IPNI, POWO etc: “K.P.J.Sprengel, Syst. Veg., ed. 16, 3: 82. 1826.”)
  - Asterocephalus altissimus (Schott) Spreng., Syst. Veg., ed. 16, 1: 383. 1824.
- Scabiosa indurata L., Mant. Pl. Altera: 196. 1771.
  - Asterocephalus induratus (L.) Spreng., Syst. Veg., ed. 16, 1: 380. 1824.
- Scabiosa procera Salisb., Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton 55. 1796.

Homonyms

Scabiosa africana “Sm. in Sibth. & Sm., Fl. Graec. Prodr. 1: 83. 1806” = Lomelosia cretica (L.) Greuter & Burdet (according to Catalogue of Life)

Listed in IPNI, given as synonym of Lomelosia cretica by Catalogue of Life and Plants of the World, but based on misidentified material of Lomelosia crenata from Zakinthos, and of no taxonomic relevance, as Smith cited Linnaeus and apparently had no intention to describe a new species.

Distribution

Native distribution areas:
Continental: Africa Regional: Southern Africa Cape Provinces (Western Cape Prov.) References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2^nd Edition

References

Primary references

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum. Tomus I: 100. Reference page.
Linnaeus, C. 1762. Species Plantarum, ed. 2, Tomus I: 145. Reference page.

Additional references

Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) 2003. Plants of Southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14: i–vi, 1–1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria. ISBN 1-919795-99-5. ARK: /t50g8869c PDF (97 MB) Reference page.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2025. Scabiosa africana in Kew Science Plants of the World Online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2025 Feb 15. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2025. Scabiosa africana. Published online. Accessed: 15 Feb 2025. Reference page.
Hassler, M. 2025. World Plants. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of the World Flora. . Scabiosa africana. Accessed: 15 Feb 2025.
Hassler, M. 2025. Scabiosa africana. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2025. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2025 Feb 15. Reference page.

Vernacular names

English: Cape scabious, Pincushion