April Fool, noun phrase

Origin:
See quotation 1906.
Any of several bulbous plant species of the Amaryllidaceae, especially Haemanthus rotundifolius, with two large, almost circular leaves which lie flat on the ground during the winter months.
1906 B. Stoneman Plants & their Ways 192Haemanthus, ‘The April Fool’ merits its name, as we think when we find that what we took to be a single flower is really a dense umbel of many flowers surrounded by bright red bracts.
1950 M.M. Kidd Wild Flowers Pl.15Haemanthus rotundifolius..(Amaryllidaceae). 6–8 in.: common; Feb.-Mch. Leaves 2, large, opposite, almost circular. April Fool.
1967 G. Haresnape in C.M. Booysen More Tales of S. Afr. 148There were the everlastings whose petals formed stiff rosettes above their leaves, the blood red April Fools.
1970 M.R. Levyns in Std Encycl. of Sn Afr. I. 492April Fool, (Haemanthus rotundifolius.)..Towards the end of summer..a stout, red flowering axis is put up. The umbel of flowers is surrounded by a number of fleshy red bracts, which are a little shorter than the flowers.
1988 M. Branch Explore Cape Flora 38Beautiful fire lilies and April fools have appeared as if from nowhere to bloom in the ashes.
Any of several bulbous plant species of the Amaryllidaceae, especially Haemanthus rotundifolius, with two large, almost circular leaves which lie flat on the ground during the winter months.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

19061988

Browse Related Words

By Category

Flowers
apricot sickness, noun phrasen. phr.apron, nounn.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English