Name

I photographed this seedhead as the sun was going down. I like this plant, it attracts butterflies and I have photograped it many times with insects...I even have a photo of the flower on my blip-profile.. so as I walked home I tried to remember the plant's name, but could not recall it at all! In the end I had to ask my friend Google who told me it is called Scabiosa atropurpurea, which is derived from the latin word scabies meaning "itch" as the leaves were used in Roman remidies for itch (in particular that of scabies). Atropurpurea on the other hand means dark purple, which is the colour of the flower itself. This flower has several common names, the most obvious one is pincushion flower, I don't need to explain the reason. The flower of this plant varies in colour from white, pink, purpura to really dark representing death or widowhood which earned the plant two more common names "mourning bride" and "mournful widow".
I'm going to change my profile photo!