They all flower in Aprill and May, and the seede is ripe in the end of Iune, or beginning of Iuly, and sometimes they will flower againe in the end of Summer, or in Autumne, if the yeare proue temperate, moist, and rainie.
The Names.
It is very probable, that none of these plants were euer knowne vnto the ancient Writers, because we cannot be assured, that they may be truely referred vnto any plant that they name, vnlesse we beleeue Fabius Columna, that it should be Alisma of Dioscorides, for thereunto hee doth referre it. Diuers of the later Writers haue giuen vnto them diuers names, euery one according to his owne conceit. For Gesner calleth it Lunaria arthritica, and Paralytica Alpina. Matthiolus accounteth it to bee of the kindred of the Sanicles, and saith, that in his time it was called by diuers Herbarists, Auricula Vrsi, which name hath since bin receiued as most vsuall. We in English call them Beares eares, according to the Latine, or as they are called by diuers women, French Cowslips; they may be called Mountaine Cowslips, if you will, for to distinguish betweene them and other Cowslips, whereof these are seuerall kindes.
Sanicula Alpina siue Cortusa Matthioli. Beares eare Sanicle.
I cannot chuse but insert this delicate plant in the end of the Beares eares, for that it is of so neare affinity, although it differ much in the forme of the leaues, the description whereof is in this manner: The leaues that spring vp first are much crumpled, and as it were folded together, which afterwards open themselues into faire, broad, and roundish leaues, somewhat rough or hairy, not onely cut into fine diuisions, but somewhat notched also about the edges, of a darke greene colour on the vpperside, and more whitish greene vnderneath; amongst these leaues riseth vp one or two naked round stalkes, fiue or six inches high, bearing at the toppes diuers small flowers, somewhat sweete, like vnto the first purple Beares eare, hanging downe their heads, consisting of fiue small pointed leaues a peece, of a darke reddish purple colour, with a white circle or bottome in the middle, and some small threads therein: after the flowers are past, there come small round heads, somewhat longer then any of the Beares eares, standing vpright vpon their small foot-stalkes, wherein is contained small round and blackish seede: the roote consisteth of a thicke tuft of small whitish threads, rather then rootes, much enterlaced one among another: the leaues of this plant dye downe euery yeare, and spring vp a new in the beginning of the yeare, whereas all the Beares eares doe hold their leaues greene all the Winter, especially the middlemost, which stand like a close head, the outermost for the most part perishing after seed time.
The Place.
This groweth in many shadowie Woods both of Italy and Germany; for both Clusius hath described it, finding it in the Woods of Austria and Stiria; and Matthiolus setteth it downe, hauing receiued it from Anthonius Cortusus, who was President of the Garden at Padua, and found it in the woody mountaines of Vicenza, neare vnto Villestagna; whereon (as Matthiolus saith) there is found both with white flowers as well as with blew, but such with white flowers or blew we neuer could see or heare further of.
The Time.
It flowreth much about the time of the Beares eares; or rather a little later, and the seede is ripe with them.