Plants
of the genus Hemerocallis, family Hemerocallidaceae.
Some older references may still include Hemerocallis
in the lily family, Liliaceae.
Generally,
a single daylily bud is
in bloom for
a single day before it begins to wither. Multiple
buds on the scapes provide bloom over
a number of weeks each bloom
season.
Ancient
Chinese used the plant's roots, leaves and
flowers for food. They also used its roots and crown as
a pain reliever, a diuretic and for other medicinal
purposes.
Its botanical
name, Hemerocallis, derives from two Greek words meaning "beauty" and "day," referring
to the fact that each flower lasts only one day.
In some
dictionaries and other reference works, this plant
may be referred to as "day lily," but the
spelling was consolidated into a single word in 1923
upon the recommendation of the American Joint Committee
on Horticultural Nomenclature, as reported by the publication
Standardized Plant Names, 1923 edition, Preface, p.
x and p. 199. |
