Devil's-bit Scabious grows in damp marshland and heathland. Its name comes from the fact that its underground rhizome has an abruptly cut-off end, said to be bitten off by the Devil.
It can be confused with Sheep's-bit, a member of the Bellflower family. The main difference is that the flowers of Devil's-bit Scabious have 4 short lobes and stamens which protrude well above the petals, whereas the flowers of Sheep's-bit have long thin lobes and stamens that do not protrude above the petals.

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