The Amaryllis flower is known as the Belladonna Lily or Naked Lady. The botanical name is said to derive from Virgil. In "Eclogues", a shepherdess is named Amaryllis. This name is reminiscent of the Greek and Latin words meaning to sparkle. The Amaryllis does indeed sparkle and the flower is a beautiful bloom so the names it has have been bestowed upon it by merit. It belongs to the Hippeastrum group of flowers named in 1837 by the Honourable Reverend William Herbert, Dean of Manchester. Some think that the name is inspired by the Morning Star, a medieval weapon and a name for the planet Venus as the brightest star in the night sky. A version of the morning star weapon was called a "holy water sprinkler," which could have figured in the Dean's musings.
PHH Sykes ©2011
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