Colour Challenge, Monday Red: Heliconia and the Interesting Story Behind This Flower's Name

The Heliconia flower is found in the tropical regions of the Americas as well as in the Pacific Ocean Islands. It is also known as lobster claw or false bird-of-paradise. When I did a bit of research on this interesting flower I found that it was named after Mount Helicon, in central Greece, which is purported to be the seat of the Muses - goddesses of the arts and sciences in Greek mythology. The ancient Greek poet Hesiod made an ode to the muses of Helicon in his literary work, The Theogony. When you read the poem below it definitely gives you a different perspective on this exotic flower and how its name came to be. Now when I look at this picture, the flower brings images of little dancing ballerina feet to mind.

“I begin my song with the Heliconian Muses;
they have made Helicon, the great god-haunted mountain,
their domain; their soft feet move in the dance that rings
the violet-dark spring and the altar of mighty Zeus.
They bathe their lithe bodies in the water of Permessos
or of Hippocrene or of god-haunted Olmeios.
On Helicon’s peak they join hands in lovely dances
and their pounding feet awaken desire.”

Hesiod, Theogony, Lines 1-8Source

The photo was taken by me with a Canon EOS Rebel 18-55mm whilst on my travels in Colombia in December of 2013.