brank-ursine
(bræŋkˈɜːsɪn)
Forms: 6 bramkersine, branke ursyne, 6–7 -ursine, 7 branckvrsin, 7–9 brank-ursin, 8 branch-ursine, -hircin, 7– brank-ursine.
[ad. med.L. branca ursīna lit. ‘bear's claw’, cf. F. branc-, branche-ursine, which may be the immediate source.]
Bear's breech, Acanthus. (Erroneously applied to the Cow-parsnip (Heracleum Sphondylium.)
| 1551 Turner Herbal (1568) i. B j, Acanthus is called of y⊇ barbarus wryters branca ursina, in English branke Ursyne. 1563 T. Hill Art Garden. (1593) 98 Take..of the roots of Bramkersine..a quarter of a pound. 1610 Markham Masterp. ii. clxxiii, Branckvrsin is a wonderfull great mollifier. 1783 Ainsworth Lat. Dict. (Morell) 11, Acanthus, the herb branch-hircin, as having leaves like a goat's horn; or brank-ursin, or bear's-foot, from its shagginess. 1833 Penny Cycl. I. 68/2 The brank-ursine is identical with the common architectural and sculptural acanthus. |