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Acid grassland community

This occurs where soils have an acidic pH value, as can be found in the Dark Peak where the parent rock material of both gritstone and shale increase the acidity of the soils formed above. It is uncommon in the Peak District. Typical species include betony and devils-bit scabious.

Wildflower species:

Devils-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis)

Devils-bit scabious is a tall perennial herb with daisy-like flowerheads. It produces beautiful purple flowers which are found occasionally in hay meadows in the late summer, from July to October, and shed their seed a month later.

The fact that it is poor at seed dispersal and does not flower until it is 4 years old makes the species susceptible to changes in management. Numbers have dramatically decreased in recent times with the development of intensive agriculture.

It provides food for a variety of butterflies and moths including the marsh fritillary butterfly and the narrow-bordered bee hawk moth.

Its name comes from folklore about its short root system. It is said that the devil was so furious with the success of the plant in curing ailments that he bit away the root hoping to put an end to its good work.

However, it has been used by herbalists for many generations, notably by Culpepper in the 17th century. He boiled the roots to treat snake-bites, swollen throats, wounds and the plague!

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