Succisa, Morsus diobolo, Devil’s Bit; Blue Buttons

Oakeley, Dr. H. F. . (2013). The Gardens of the Pharmacopoeia Londinensis. Link

Family changed from Dipsacaceae to Caprifoliaceae.

Plants of the World online, Kew Science http://plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:320331-1 Link

Succisa chosen as the PL name. 03/03/2021 AT

Culpeper: under ‘Herbs’ he writes: ‘Succisa, Morsus diobolo, Devil’s Bit. Inwardly taken it easeth the fits of the mother, and breaks wind, taketh away the swellings in the mouth, and slimy phlegm that sticks to the jaws, neither is there a more present remedy in the world, for those cold swellings of the neck, which the vulgar call the Almonds of the neck than this herb bruised and applied to them.

Culpeper, Nicholas. (1650). A Physical Directory . London, Peter Cole.

Succisia pratensis Greene Asteraceae. Devil’s Bit Scabious, Blue Buttons. Distribution: Europe, W Asia, Africa. Culpeper (1650), under ‘Herbs’ he writes: ‘Succisa, Morsus diobolo, Devil’s Bit. Inwardly taken it easeth the fits of the mother [probably uterine spasm or pain], and breaks wind, taketh away the swellings in the mouth, and slimy phlegm that sticks to the jaws, neither is there a more present remedy in the world, for those cold swellings of the neck, which the vulgar call the Almonds [lymph nodes] of the neck than this herb bruised and applied to them. Folk lore attribute it as a cure-all which was so sucessful that the Devil bit off the bottom of the roots when he saw it growing down into Hades. However, the roots show no sign of such damage to support the myth.

Oakeley, Dr. Henry F. (2013). Wellcome Library notes. Link

Africa, Northern Africa, Algeria

Africa, Northern Africa, Tunisia

Asia-Temperate, Caucasus

Asia-Temperate, Russian Far East

Asia-Temperate, Siberia

Asia-Temperate, Western Asia, Turkey

Europe, Eastern Europe

Europe, Middle Europe

Europe, Northern Europe

Europe, Northern Europe, Great Britain

Europe, Southeastern Europe

Europe, Southwestern Europe