I think it was supposed to be 'annelida'. The annelida are the segmented worms, and in Tennessee-Kentucky they have a pale, segmented worm with blue eyes. You only see them after drinking moonshine.



I was just kidding. Actually, making verses which rhyme, scan, and make sense is very hard. I think JP or Maude, (whichever did the lyrics) simply gave up and invented a flower which suited the purpose. And who can blame them?

Somewhere I saw a video of some Carters singing this song, and they sang 'waving black hair.' Folk process, I guess.