Spring is definitely sprung in Australia. In Roman mythology, Flora was a goddess of flowers, and flowering plants, both the fruit bearing ones and the ornamental ones.
She also came to represent the season of spring. While she was otherwise a relatively minor figure in Roman mythology, being one among several fertility goddesses, her association with the spring gave her particular importance at the coming of springtime.
Her festival, the Floralia, was held in April or early May and symbolized the renewal of the cycle of life, fertility, and blossoming. During the Floralia festival the Romans would wear brightly coloured clothes and wear wreaths of flowers, especially roses. Chariot races were held in her honour. Her Greek equivalent was Chloris. Flora was married to Favonius, the wind god, and her companion was Hercules.
Flora’s name derives from the Latin word “flos” which means “flower.” The word “flora” is still used as a general name for the plants of a region. Other related words are “flourishing” meaning prosperous or abundant and “floral”, meaning flowery.
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