BEAR’S EARS is a very common name for AURICULA (Primula auricula) (that is what is suggested by the word ‘auricula’ itself). It is the shape of the leaf that gave rise to the name. It appears as Boar’s Ears, or Bore’s Ears in northern Scotland. Jamieson said that a bear is called a boar in the north of Scotland. However that may be, the name changes as one goes south. In Lancashire it is Baziers, or Basiers (Nodal & Milner). There is a May song from Lancashire that has as its refrain “The baziers are sweet in the morning of May”. Further south still, in Gloucestershire, the name is further changed to Bezors (Britten & Holland).
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