Many thanks to Rosie Hopkins for the super images.

Other common names

Flora’s paintbrush
golden mouse ear
Grim-the-collier
missionary weed
orange-flowered hawkweed
red daisy
devil’s paintbrush

Although not native to the British Isles, P. aurantiaca was introduced there at least as early as sixteenth century. Fox and cubs has a long history of use in the folk medicine of Europe, in which it has been used in preparations believed to benefit a variety of diseases, including respiratory infections, digestive problems, and skin conditions.

Other common names

bloody bells
bloody finger
cow flop
dead man’s bells
dead men’s bells
dog’s lugs
dragon’s mouth
fairy bells
fairy fingers
fairy gloves
fairy thimbles
fairy’s cap
fairy’s petticoat
fairy’s thimble
finger flower
flap dock
folk’s gloves
fox finger
gloves of Mary
lady’s fingers
lady’s gloves
lady’s thimble
lion’s mouth
lusmore
lustmore
pop dock
thimble finger
thimble flower
throat root
witches’ bells
witches’ fingers
witches’ gloves
witches’ thimbles
bysedd y cŵn

Due to the presence of the cardiac glycoside digitoxin, the leaves, flowers and seeds of this plant are all poisonous to humans and some animals and can be fatal if ingested. Extracted from the leaves, this same cardiac glycoside digitoxin is used as a medication for heart failure. Its clinical use was pioneered by William Withering. 

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