Scabiosa incisa

These Scabiosa incisa flowers were found in the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden in September. The leafy clumps are way below the flowerheads on their tall stems, well presented to appreciative pollinators.

This plant grows particularly well in some areas along the west coast within view of Table Mountain on the sandy flats. When blooms wither, the corollas drop off old flowers. What remains of the flowerheads are to be seen among the mauve flowerheads here: just the rounded clusters of epicalyces that earlier supported the individual flowers on the flowerhead (Manning, 2007; www.plantzafrica.com).