Asteroid 556, Phyllis, was discovered on January 8, 1905 by Paul Gotz at Heidelberg, Germany. It has a period of 3 years, 318 days and is 37.81 kilometers (about 23 1/2 miles) in diameter.
It was named for a character in Greek mythology, Phyllis, daughter of a Thracian king, who married Demophon, King of Athens and son of Theseus, while he stopped in Thrace on the way home from the Trojan War. Bound by duty, he returned home to help his father, leaving his wife behind. Phyllis gave him a box when he left, asking him to open it only when he has despaired of returning to her. In one version of the myth, he eventually opened it and ran off in terror at what he saw in it, accidentally falling on his own sword when his horse stumbled. In another, Phyllis despaired of his returning and hanged herself, and the gods turned her into an almond tree, which bloomed when Demophon returned to her, full of remorse.
An almond tree in full bloom
The meaning of asteroid Phyllis seems to be: ramifications, out on a limb (Damien Foor), wild, frazzled, overburdened; possibly, nut trees, tree nut growing, maintaining hope no matter what (or else)..