ðə dʒˈɛnəs nˈeɪm "lˈæmpɹænθəs" mˈiːnz "ʃˈaɪnɪŋflˈaʊɚz" ɪn ɡɹˈiːk, ænd ðə spˈiːsiːz ʌv ðɪs dʒˈɛnəs hæv ʌnjˈuːʒuːəli lˈɑːɹdʒ, bɹˈaɪt flˈaʊɚz, əvɚ ɹˈeɪndʒ ʌv kˈʌlɚz sˈʌmtaɪmz ˈiːvən bˈaɪkˈʌlɚd, ðæt jˈuːʒuːəli ɐpˈɪɹ ɪn sˈʌmɚ, ænd fɹˈiːkwəntli kˈʌvɚ ðə plˈænts ɛntˈaɪɚli.
The genus name "Lampranthus" means "shining-flowers" in Greek, and the species of this genus have unusually large, bright flowers, of a range of colours (sometimes even bi-coloured), that usually appear in summer, and frequently cover the plants entirely.