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Of Beares Eares, or Mountaine Cowslips

The Kindes.

THere be divers sorts of Mountaine Cowslips, or Beares-eares, differing especially in the colour of their floures, notwithstanding it may appeare to the curious, that there is great difference in the roots also, considering some of them have knobbed roots, and others threddy: notwithstanding there is no difference in the roots at all.

The Description.

AUricula Ursi was called of Matthiolus, Pena, and other Herbarists, Sanicula Alpina, by reason of his singular faculty in healing of wounds, both inward and outward. They doe all call it Paralytica, because of his vertues in curing the palsies, cramps, and convulsions, and is numbred among the kindes of Cowslips, whereof no doubt they are kindes as others are which do hereafter follow under the same title, although there be some difference in the colour of the floures. This beautifull and brave plant hath thicke, greene, and fat leaves, somewhat finely snipt about the edges, not altogether unlike those of Cowslips, but smoother, greener, and nothing rough or crumpled: among which riseth up a slender round stem a handfull high, bearing a tuft of floures at the top, of a faire yellow colour, not much unlike to the floures of Oxe-lips, but more open and consisting of one only leafe like Cotiledon: the root is very threddy, and like unto the Oxe-lip.

The Place.

They grow naturally upon the Alpish and Helvetian mountaines: most of them do grow in our London Gardens.

The Time.

These herbes do floure in Aprill and May.

The Names.

Either the antient writers knew not these plants, or else the names of them were not by them or their successors diligently committed unto posterity. Matthiolus and other later writers have given names according to the similitude, or of the shape that they beare unto other plants, according to the likenesse of the qualities and operations: you may call it in English, Beares-eare: they that dwell about the Alpes doe call it by reason of the effects thereof; for the root is amongst them in great request for the strengthning of the head, that when they are on the tops of places that are high, giddinesse and the swimming of the braine may not afflict them: it is there called the Rocke-Rose, for that it groweth upon the rockes, and resembleth the brave colour of the rose.

The Vertues.

Those that hunt in the Alps and high mountaines after Goats and bucks, do as highly esteeme hereof as of Doronicum, by reason of the singular effects that it hath, but (as I said before) one especially, even in that it preventeth the losse of their best joynts (I meane their neckes) if they take the roots hereof before they ascend the rocks or other high places.