Lomelosia caucasica
Lomelosia caucasica, the Caucasian pincushion flower, pincushion-flower or Caucasian scabious, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to the Caucasus, north eastern Turkey, and northern Iran. Growing to tall and broad, it is a clump-forming perennial with grey-green, divided leaves. Pincushion-shaped buds, borne on erect hairy, stems, open to pale blue or lavender flower heads, in diameter, from late summer through to autumn.
It was formerly known as Scabiosa caucasica until 1985, when it became Lomelosia caucasica. It is still listed in some sources as Scabiosa caucasica.
Taxonomy
After a study of the family Dipsacaceae, the Scabioseae were then split into several genera, with S. caucasica placed in Lomelosia . Further carpological and palynological studies have further confirmed this view, which has then been further substantiated by more recent data from molecular phylogenetics.The GBIF, and United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service, agreed to the name change.
Ecology
The plant is highly attractive to bees and other pollinating insects.Cultivars
Numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use, in shades of red, purple, pink, blue and white. The cultivars of 'Clive Greaves',, and 'Miss Willmott', have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.Other cultivars include:-
- 'Blue Perfection'
- 'Bressingham White'
- 'Claire Greaves'
- 'Compliment'
- 'Fama'
- 'Floral Queen'
- 'Loddon White'
- 'Moonbeam Blue'
- 'Mrs Isaac House'
- 'Perfecta'
- 'Perfecta Alba Blanc'
- 'Staefa'