@narayani@seacreature@beckyk365 looked some more but forgot to report back. They are called that because they were used to treat scabies - which must be a homeopathic thing - it looks like it so it must treat it!!
"Field Scabious has a rough and hairy stem similar in texture to scabby skin. According to the 'Doctrine of Signatures' - where herbalists treated illnesses with plants that resembled the body part associated with illness - this association probably led to it being used as a herb to treat scabies, mange and itches."
@anniesue Thanks very much for that info. No wonder it sounded like scabies to me, which I know as a skin disease caused by mites - highly contagious. I had no idea there was a plant to treat this.
"Field Scabious has a rough and hairy stem similar in texture to scabby skin. According to the 'Doctrine of Signatures' - where herbalists treated illnesses with plants that resembled the body part associated with illness - this association probably led to it being used as a herb to treat scabies, mange and itches."