About this star:

The southern star on the left foot of the Greater Bear, Ursa Major.

The Arabic name for Alula Australis is Al-Qafzah al-Ula, The southern one of "the first leap" of the Gazelle.

The Leaps of the Gazelle: In ancient Arabia, before the Arabs adopted the Greek Astronomical figures for the constellations, they had different configurations in the sky. Many of starnames comes to us from this tradition.

Nu (Alula Borealis) and xi (this star Alula Australe) marked the right hind foot of the Greater Bear were "the First Leap" of the Gazelle. Lamda (Tania Borealis) and mu (Tania Australis) together, marking the Bear's left hind foot, were "the Second Leap" of the Gaselle. Each pair marking one "spring". They were collectively designated Kafzah al Thiba', "the Springs of the Gazelle". The Gazelle being imagined from the unformed stars since gathered up as Leo Minor, and the springing from the Pond (Coma Berenice) of the animal being due to its fear of the greater Lion's tail. [In early Arabia Coma Berenice was Al Haud, the Pond, into which the Gazelle, our Leo Minor, sprang when frightened at the lashing of the Lion's (Leo) tail; although some of the Arabic observers claimed that this Pond lay among the stars of the neck, breast, and knees of the Greater Bear Ursa Major ; and Lach substituted it for the Gazelle in our location of Leo Minor. Ideler adopted this from Al Tizini and the Cufic globe at Dresden; while the Borgian globe shows a Gazelle and her Young in the same location. Kazwini, however, described this group as extending over the eyes, eyebrows, ears, and muzzle of the figure of our Ursa Major.] (Allen).

Influence of the constellation:

It is said to give a quiet, prudent, suspicious, mistrustful, self-controlled, patient nature, but an uneasy spirit and great anger when roused. By the Kabbalists it is associated with the Hebrew letter Zain and the 7th Tarot Trump "The Chariot". (Robson).

Rising:

Those born at the rising of this constellation will be tamers of wild beasts, that is men to teach bears, bulls and lions to lay aside their fierceness and share in human ways. (Manilius Astronomica 1st century AD).