Urgent flower ID needed!

[NickCantle]

Hiya guys,

It's 4.16am and I've got one more flower to identify for my site. I've trawled as much of the web as I can and the closest I came is Chicory, but I know it's not Chicory!!! Argghhhhhhh

Someone PLEASE help, or i'll be bald by the weekend



Many thanks in advance

Nick

[aeshna5]

Nick, it would be useful to include some leaves too in flower ID photos, to assist ID, but this looks like a Field Scabious head, Knautia arvensis.

[Jez]

As soon I glanced at the picture Field Scabious sprang to mind!

[Bub-les]

I agree with the ID
The only thing I'd say is the colour is rather strong they are usually paler than this one, more a sky blue.
Barbara

[hobble]

Colours of scabious vary in colour from pale lilac to purple.
There is another scabious here in Cornwall which is called Sheep's -bit, which is similar.

[Bub-les]

Yes the sheep's- bit is a darker blue and I know the colour of the field scabious is variable but I've not seen it as intense as in the photo.

[NickCantle]

Thanks guys, much appreciated. My hair is safe and still on my head

Nick

P.s - Aeshna, I took the picture because I liked the flower, and I didn't expect having to get it identified, hence the lack of leaves.

[naturelover]

Yes that is scabious,in the 50s and 60s you got lots of those growing on railway embankments,lovely little flower verv pretty.

[ceterach]

Originally Posted by hobble

Colours of scabious vary in colour from pale lilac to purple.
There is another scabious here in Cornwall which is called Sheep's -bit, which is similar.

You have to be slightly careful because Sheep's-bit (Jasione montana) is not a Scabious. Although it looks like one it is in fact a member of the Campanula family. There is a Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisia pratensis) that is related to Field Scabious.

All the best

[Jez]

Originally Posted by hobble

Colours of scabious vary in colour from pale lilac to purple.
There is another scabious here in Cornwall which is called Sheep's -bit, which is similar.

Originally Posted by Bub-les

Yes the sheep's- bit is a darker blue and I know the colour of the field scabious is variable but I've not seen it as intense as in the photo.

Sheeps bit is Scabious looking but actually is not a member of the Scabious family! You may be then surprised to know its of the bellflower family (Campanulaceae).