A wealth of Scabious. I saw a great number of these dotted around as I walked the South Downs Way. As mentioned in Monday's entry the peak flowering of chalk grasslands has passed by now. Wild Marjoram was still plentiful as was this diminutive bloom which I take to be Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratentis).

 Now that's a bit confusing because Devil's-bit is associated with damp grassy habitats and the free draining chalk at the top of the Downs would seem to be altogether drier. I saw some Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis) in the hedgerows as I walked towards the Downs from Hassocks. Enlarging the top photograph there also seems to be a smaller Scabious with lilac flowers like Field Scabious; might that be Small Scabious (Scabiosa columbaria)?

 All three are of the Dipsacaceae family. Then again Sheep's-bit Scabious (Jasione montana) favours dry grassland and resembles Devil's Bit. Round-headed Rampion (Phyteuma orbliculare) is the county flower of Sussex and endemic to the South Downs. It too bears a resemblance to a Scabious though both these last two are of the Campanulaceae family.  

 And yet... I still think the flower above looks more like Succisa pratentis. The lie of the land contains many variations where habitats and micro-habitats are concerned and plants have a way of finding their niche. Happy to be corrected by wiser heads than mine but I'll go with Devil's-bit for the time being.

 And this is a diary of impressions as much as botanical accuracy. So I what I can say with absolute certainty is that it was a beautiful sight to behold so many on a fine autumn day on the Downs.