Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Scabious \Sca"bi*ous\, n. [Cf. F. scabieuse. See {Scabious}, a.]
   (Bot.)
   Any plant of the genus {Scabiosa}, several of the species of
   which are common in Europe. They resemble the {Composit[ae]},
   and have similar heads of flowers, but the anthers are not
   connected.

   {Sweet scabious}.
   (a) Mourning bride.
   (b) A daisylike plant ({Erigeron annuus}) having a stout
       branching stem.

Source : WordNet®

sweet scabious
     n : Old World annual having fragrant purple to deep crimson
         flower heads; naturalized in United States [syn: {pincushion
         flower}, {mournful widow}, {Scabiosa atropurpurea}]