The Self-pronouncing Dictionary of Plant Names: Quamoclit to Zygopetalum
(Revised Edition) Prepared by Ralph Bailey, Garden Editor, House & Garden
(Copyright 1948, 1962) by the Literary Guild of America, Inc.

Q

Quamoclit�Kwam oh klit: star-glory
Quassia (for Graman Quassi of Surinam)�Kwosh ee uh
Quercus (the classical name)�Kwurk us: oak
Quillaja�Kwil lay uh: soap-bark tree

R

Ramonda (for French botanist L.F.E. von Ramond de Carbonnerres)�Ray mond uh
Ranunculus (little-frog, suggesting marshy habitat of many species)�Ran nun kew lus: buttercup
Raoulia (for French surgeon Etienne F. L. Raoul)�Rah ool ee uh
Raphanus (the classical name)�Raff an us: radish
Raphiolepis (needle-scale, as to bract structure)�Raf ee ol ep iss
Ravenala�Rav en nay luh: travelers-tree
Rebutia (apparently named for one Rebut)�Reb bew tee uh
Rehmannia (for Russian physician Joseph Rehmann)�Ray man nee uh
Renanthera (kidney-anther, as to shape in one species)�Ren anth er uh
Reseda (from word to calm, for supposed sedative qualities)�Res seed uh: mignonette
Retinospora; Retinispora (resin-seed)�Ret in noss (niss) por uh: now the genus Chamaecyparis
Rhabdothamnus (rod-bush, as to form of branches)�Rab doh tham nus
Rhamnus (classical name for a prickly shrub)�Ram nus: buckthorn
Rhapidophyllum (rod-leaf, as to narrow leaflets)�Rap id oh fill um: needle palm
Rhapis (rod, as to leaf or corolla characters)�Ray piss: lady palm
Rheum (old name for the plant)�Ree um: rhubarb
Rhexia (classical name)�Rex ee uh: meadow-beauty
Rhinanthus (nose-flower, as to shape)�Rye nanth us: rattle-box
Rhipsalis (wicker-work, for branch or stem masses)�Rip sal iss
Rhodochiton (red-cloak, as to calyx)�Roh doh kye ton: purple bell-vine
Rhododendron (rose-tree, as to flower colors of many species)�Roh doh den dron: rhododendron, rose-bay, azalea
Rhodomyrtus (rose-myrtle, as to flower colors)�Roh doh mert us: downy-myrtle (R. tomentosa)
Rhodostachys )rose-spike, as to flower color of some species)�Roh doss tak iss
Rhodothamnus (rose-shrub, as to flower colors)�Roh doh tham nus
Rhodotypos (rose-type, as to form resembling that of a single rose)�Roh doh tye pos: jetbead
Rhoeo�Ree oh
Rhombophyllum (rhomboid-leaf, as to leaves of roughly diamond shape)�Rom boh fill um
Rhopalostylis (club-style, as to shape of flower styles)�Roh pal lost il iss: nikau palm
Rhus (classical name)�Russ: sumac
Ribes�Rye beez: currant, gooseberry
Ricinus�Riss in us: castor-bean, castor-oil-plant
Ricotia (for French botanist M. Ricot)�Rik koh shee uh
Rivina (for German botanist A. Q. Rivinus)�Riv vye nuh: rouge-plant
Robinia (for Vespasian Robin, who introduced it to Europe from North America)�Roh bin ee uh: locust
Rochea (for Swiss botanist Francois de la Roche)�Roh kee uh
Rodgersia (for U.S. Navy Commodore Rodgers)�Rod jerz ee uh
Rohdea (for German physician-botanist M. Rohde)�Roh dee uh
Romanzoffia (for Russian Count Nicholas Romanzoff)�Roh man zoff ee uh
Romneya (for astronomer A. Romney Robinson)�Rom nee uh: matilija-poppy
Romulea�Rom yew lee uh
Rondeletia (for French naturalist-physician Guillaume Rondelet)�Ron del leesh ee uh
Rosa (ancient classical name for the genus)�Roh suh: rose
Roseocactus (rosy-cactus, probably as to color in some species)�Roh see oh kak tus
Rosmarinus (sea-dew, as to its seashore habitat)�Ross mar rye nus: rosemary
Roystonea (for American General Roy Stone)�Roy stoh nee uh: royal palm
Rubus (classical name for bramble plants)�Roo bus: includes blackberry, dewberry, and raspberry
Rudbeckia (for Swedish botanist Olans Rudbeck)�Rud bek ee uh: coneflower
Ruellia (for French botanist Jean Ruel)�Rew ell ee uh
Rumex (classical name)�Roo mex: dock, sorrel
Ruscus�Russ kus: butchers-broom
Russelia (for physician Alexander Russell)�Russ seel ee uh: coral-blow
Ruta (classical name)�Root uh: rue

S

Sabal�Say bal: palmetto
Sabatia (for Italian botanist Liberatus Sabbati)�Sab bay shee uh
Sagina (fatness, as to presumed nutritive value)�Saj jye nuh: pearlwort
Sagittaria (arrow-like, as to leaf shape)�Saj it tay ree uh: arrowhead
Saintpaulia (for German discoverer Baron Walter von St. Paul)�Saynt pawl ee uh: African-violet
Salix (the classical name)�Say lix: willow
Salpiglossis (tube-tongue, as to form of corolla and style)�Sal pig loss iss: painted-tongue
Salvia (the ancient classical name)�Sal vee uh: sage
Salvinia (for Italian scholar Antonio Salvini)�Sal vin ee uh
Sambucus (classical name)�Sam bew kus: elder
Sanchezia�San cheez ee uh
Sanquinaria (bloody, as to color of root juice)�San gwin nay ree uh: bloodroot
Sanguisorba�San gwis sorb uh: burnet
Sansevieria (for Italian Prince of Sanseviero)�San sev veer ee uh: bowstring-hemp (known to many gardeners as snake-plant)
Santolina�San toh lye nuh: lavender-cotton
Sanvitalia (for the Italian Sanvitali family)�San vit tay lee uh
Sapindus (soap-India, as to use of berries for soap in India)�Sap pind us: soapberry
Saponaria (soap, for its juice which lathers in water)�Sap on nay ree uh: soapwort
Sarchochilus (fleshy-lip, as to flowers)�Sar koh kye lus
Sarcococca (fleshy-berry, as to fruit)�Sar koh kok uh
Sarracenia (for one D. Sarrazin)�Sar ras seen ee uh: pitcher-plant
Sassafras (probably named for saxifraga, the saxifrage, by Spanish discoverers because of similar medicinal properties)�Sass af rass
Satureja (the classical name)�Sat yew reej uh: savory
Saururus (lizard-tail, as to shape of flower spike)�Saw roor us: lizards-tail
Saussurea (for Swiss naturalists Benedict and Theodore Saussure)�Soss yew ree uh
Saxifraga (rock-break, variously thought to refer to the rock-cleft habitat of many species or to a supposed remedial value for gallstones)--Sak siff rag uh: saxifrage, rockfoil
Scabiosa (itching, as to possible therapeutic virtues of some species)--Skay bee oh suh: scabious, mourning-bride
Schinus (old name for mastic-tree, as to its resinous quality)--Skye nus
Schisandra (cleavage-anther, as to cleft anthers)--Skiss and ruh
Schismatoglottis (parting-tongue, as to the early falling of the spathe)--Skiz mat oh glott iss
Schivereckia--skiv er rek ee uh
Schizaea (split, as to fronds)--Skye zee uh: curly-grass-fern
Schizanthus (split-flower, as to the cleft corolla)--Skye zanth us: butterfly-flower
Schizobasopsis (schizobasis-like, an unimportant similarity)--Skye zoh bas ops iss
Schizocentron (split-thorn)--Skye zoh sent ron
Schizopetalon (cut-petals)--Skye zoh pet al on
Schizophragma (cut-wall, as to splitting of capsules)--Skye zoh frag muh
Schizostylis (cut-style, as to thread-like style segments)--Skye zost il iss: crimson flag, kafir-lily
Schlumbergera (for one Friedrich Schlumberger)--Schlum ber jeer uh
Schomburgkia (for naturalist Robert H. Schomburgk)--Schom burg kee uh
Schotia (for botanist traveler Richard Schot)--Shot ee uh
Sciadopitys (shade-pine, as to its foliage habit)--Sye ad dop it iss: umbrella-pine
Scilla (the classical name)--Sill uh: squill
Scindapsus--Sin dap sus: ivy-arum
Sclerocactus (hard-cactus)--Skleer oh kak tus
Scolymus (a kind of thistle)--Skoll im us: golden thistle, Spanish-oyster-plant
Scorzonera--Skor zoh neer uh: black salsify (S. hispanica)
Scrophularia (perhaps supposed in some form to have been a scrofula remedy)--Skroff yew lay ree uh: figwort
Scutellaria (tray or dish, as to calyx formation)--Skew tel lay ree uh: skullcap
Scuticaria (whip, as to its long whiplike, channeled leaves)--Skew tik kay ree uh
Sechium (pen, perhaps for the fact that it was fed to hogs)--Seek ee um: chayote, christophine
Securigera (hatchet-bearing, as to pod shape)--Sek yew rij er uh
Sedum (classical name for houseleek)--Seed um: stonecrop, live-forever (compare Sempervivum
Selaginella (diminutive of irrelevant genus Selago)--Sel aj in nell uh
Selenicereus (Selene's cactus: she was the mythical moon goddess)--Sel en iss seer ee us
Selenipedium (Selene's orchid: see above)--Sel en ip peed ee um
Semele (mythical mother of Dionysus)--Sem el ee: climbing butchers-broom
Semmanthe--Sem anth ee
Sempervivum (live-forever)--Sem per vye vum: houseleek (a vagary of plant nomenclature will be illustrated by comparing with the genus Sedum above)
Senecio (the classical name)--Sen nee see oh: groundsel
Sequoia (for sequoya, actually George Guess, a Cherokee half-breed and originator of the Cherokee syllabary)--Sek kwoy uh: redwood (S. sempervirens
Sequoiadendron (sequoia-tree)--Sek kwoy ad den dron: giant-sequoia
Serenoa (for American botanist Sereno Watson)--Sehr en noh uh: saw-palmetto, scrub-palmetto
Serissa--Ser riss uh
Serratula (for serrate or roughish leaf margins)--Sehr rat yew luh
Sesamum--Sess uh mum: sesame (S. orientale)
Shepherdia (for English botanist John Shepherd)--Shep herd ee uh: buffalo-berry ( S. argentea
Shortia (for American botanist Charles W. Short)--Short ee uh
Sibiraea (for Siberia, its habitat)--Sye bir ree uh
Sibthorpia (for one John Sibthorp)--Sib thorp ee uh
Sicana--Sik kay nuh: curuba, cassa-banana
Sidalcea--Sye dal see uh
Sideritis (iron, perhaps as to tonic virtues)--Sid er rye tiss
Silene--Sye leen ee: catchfly, campion
Silphium--Sill fee um: rosinweed
Silybum (classical name for thistle)--Sill ib um
Sinningia (for German gardener Wilhelm Sinning)--Sin nin jee uh: gloxinia (S. speciosa)
Sinomenium (Chinese-moon, for moon-seed)--Sye noh meen ee um
Sisyrinchium (the classical name)--Siss ir rink ee um: blue-eyed-grass
Skimmia--Skim mee uh
Smilacina (smilax-like)--Smye las sye nuh: false-solomons-seal
Smilax (classical name for bindweed)--Smye lax: greenbrier
Smithiantha (Smith's-flower, for botanical artist Matilda Smith)--Smith ee anth uh
Sobralia (for Spanish physician-botanist Francisco Sobral)--Sob ray lee uh
Solandra (for Swedish naturalist D. C. Solander)--Sol land ruh: chalice-vine
Solanum (solace, the classical name)--Sol lay num: nightshade
Soldanella--Sol dan nell uh
Solidago (to strengthen, as to supposed medicinal properties)--Sol id day goh: goldenrod
Sophora--Sof foh ruh
Sophronites (modest, at least as compared with many other orchids)--Sof ron nye teez
Sorbaria (for leaf resemblance to Sorbus)--Sor bay ree uh: false-spirea
Sorbus (the classical name)--Sor bus: mountain-ash
Sparaxis (a tearing, as to torn-appearing spathe)--Spar rax iss: wandflower
Sparmannia (for Swedish naturalist A. Sparmann)--Sparm man ee uh
Spartium (from the classical name)--Spart ee um: Spanish broom, weavers broom
Spathiphyllum (spathe-leaf, for leaf-like spathe)--Spath if fill um
Spathoglottis (spathe-tongue, as to lip shape)--Spath oh glot iss
Specularia (for Venus' looking-glass)--Spek yew lay ree uh: Venus looking-glass
Sphaeralcea (globe-mallow)--Sfeer ral see uh: globe-mallow
Spigelia (for Dutch botanist A. Van der Spigel)--Spye jeel ee uh: pink-root
Spinacia (spiny, as to fruit)--Spin nay see uh: spinach
Spiraea (wreath or garland, for which some species may have been used)--Spye ree uh: spirea
Spiranthes (coil-flower, as to twisted stalks)--Spye ranth eez: ladies-tresses
Spironema (spiral-thread, as to stamens)--Spye ron neem uh
Spraguea (for botanical artist Isaac Sprague)--Sprayg ee uh
Sprekelia (for German botanist J. H. von Sprekelsen)--Sprek keel ee uh: jacobean-lily, St. James-lily
Stachys (spike, possibly for flower form)--Stay kiss: betony, woundwort
Stachyurus (spike-tail, for flowering character)--Stak ee yew rus
Stanhopea (for the Earl of Stanhope)--Stan hoh pee uh
Stapelia (for Dutch physician-botanist J. B. van Stapel)--Stap peel ee uh: carrion-flower
Staphylea (cluster-of-grapes, for fruiting habit)--Staf il lee uh): bladdernut
Statice-Stat iss ee: this genus is now superseded by Armeria and Limonium
Stauntonia (for Sir G. L. Staunton)--Ston toh nee uh
Steironema (sterile-thread, as to staminodes)--Stye ron neem uh: loosestrife
Stellaria (star-like, as to flowers)--Stel lay ree uh
Stenocactus (slender-cactus)--Sten oh kak tus
Stenocarpus (narrow-fruit, as to follicles)--Sten oh karp us
Stenoglottis (narrow-tongue, as to flower lip)--Sten oh glot iss
Stenolobium (narrow-lobe, as to fruit)--Sten oh loh bee um: yellow-bells
Stenotaphrum (narrow-trench, as to grooves bearing spikelets)--Sten oh taff rum: St. Augustine-grass
Stephanandra (crown-stamen, as to stamen arrangement)--Steff an and ruh
Stephanotis (crown-worthy, as to stamen arrangement)--Steff an noh tiss: Madagascar-jasmine
Sternbergia (for Bohemian Count Kaspar Sternberg)--Stern berj ee uh:
Stewartia (for plant patron John Stuart, Earl of Bute)--Stew art ee uh
Stokesia (for English botanist Jonathan Stokes)--Stoh kee see uh: Stokes-aster
Stranvaesia (for English botanist William Fox-Strangeways)--Stran veez ee uh
Strelitzia (for Charlotte, Princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz)--Strel lits ee uh: bird-of-paradise
Streptocarpus (twisted-fruit)--Strep toh karp us: Cape-primrose
Streptopus (twisted-stalk, as to flower stalks)--Strep top us: twisted-stalk
Streptosolen (twisted-tube, as to corolla)--Strep toh soh len
Stromanthe--Stroh manth ee
Stylophorum (style-bearing, as to long-lasting styles)--Stye loff or um: celandine-poppy
Styrax (for a kind of resin or gum)--Styre rax: storax
Succisa (cut off below, as to root appearance)--Suk sye suh
Sutherlandia (for is cultivator James Sutherland)--Suther land ee uh
Swainsona (for English horticulturalist Isaac Swainson)--Swain soh nuh
Symphoricarpos (accompanying-fruit, as to fruit in clusters)--Sim for ik karp os
Symphyandra (for growing-together anthers)--Sim fee and ruh
Symphytum (grow-together, perhaps a reference to wound-healing properties)--Sim fit um: comfrey
Symplocarpus (for growing-together-fruit)--Sim ploh karp us: skunk-cabbage
Symplocos (interconnected, as to base of stamens)--Sim ploh kos: sweetleaf
Syringa--Sihr rin guh: lilac

T

Tabebuia--Tab eb boo ee uh
Tabernaemontana (for German botanist J. T. Tabernaemontanus)--Tab ern ee mon tay nuh
Tacca--Tak uh: devil-flower (T. chantrieri)
Taenidia (a technical reference to the minute fruits)--Tee nid ee uh
Tagetes (an old but misapplied name)--Taj jeet eez: marigold
Talinum--Tal lye num: fame-flower
Tamarix (the classical nme)--Tam ar ix: tamarisk
Tamus (a classical vine name)--Tay mus: black-bryony
Tanacetum (the classical name)--Tan ass seet um: tansy
Taraxacum--Tar rax ak um: dandelion
Taxodium (taxus-like, as to foliage)--Tak soh dee um: bald-cypress (T. distichum)
Taxus (the classical name)--Tax us: yew
Tecomaria (tecoma-like)--Tek om may ree uh: Cape-honeysuckle
Tellima (anagram of mitella, which it resembles)--Tel im uh
Templetonia (for Irish botanist John Templeton)--Temple toh nee uh: coral-bush
Terminalia (for leaves borne on terminal shoots)--Ter min nay lee uh: tropical-almond or Indian-almond, Myrobalan
Testudinaria (tortoise-like, as to above ground root shape)--Tes tew din nay ree uh: hottentots-bread, elephant's-foot
Tetracentron (four-spur, as to fruit parts)--Tet rass sent ron
Tetratheca (four-cell, as to occasional anthers)--Tet rath theek uh
Teucrium (the classical name)--Tewk ree um: germander
Thalia (luxuriant; or, perhaps, for one of the muses so named; or, also perhaps, for German naturalist Johann Thalius)--Thay lee uh
Thalictrum (the classical name)--Thal lik trum: meadowrue
Thea--Tee uh: tea (T. sinensis)
Thelesperma (wart-seed, as to seed form)--Thel ess perm uh
Thelocactus (wart-cactus)--Thel oh kak tus
Thermopsis (lupine-like)--Therm mops iss
Thespesia (wonderful, divine)--Thess pees ee uh: portia-tree
Thevetia (for French author Andre Thevet)--Thev vee shee uh: yellow-oleander
Thlaspi (old name for a cress)--Thlasp ee: penny-cress
Thomasia (for the brothers Thomas, collectors of Swiss plants)--Toh mass ee uh
Thrinax (a three-pronged-fork or a fan, as to leaves)--Thrye nax: peaberry palm
Thryallis--Thrye al liss
Thuja--Thew juh: arborvitae
Thujopsis (thuja-like)--Thew jopp siss: false arborvitae
Thunbergia (for Swedish botanist Karl Peter Thunberg)--Thun berj ee uh: clock-vine
Thuya--Thew yuh (see preferred Thuja)
Thymophilia (thyme-leaf)--Tye moh fill uh: dahlberg daisy, golden-fleece
Thymus--Tye mus: thyme
Tiarella (coronet, as to pistil form)--Tye ar rell uh: false-mitrewort
Tibouchina--Tib oo kye nuh: glory-bush
Tigridia (tiger-like, as to flower markings)--Tye grid ee uh: tiger-flower
Tillia (the classical name)--Till ee uh: linden
Tillandsia (for Swedish botanist Elias Tillands)--Til land zee uh: Spanish-moss (T. usneoides)
Tipularia (named for likeness of its flowers to a kind of insect)--Tip yew lay ree uh: crane-fly orchid
Titanopsis--Tye tan nopp siss
Tithonia (presumably for mythical Tithonus)--Tith oh nee uh
Tococa--Tok koh kuh
Tolmiea (for a Hudson's Bay Co. surgeon, Dr. Tolmie)--Tol mee ee uh
Tolpis--Tolp iss
Torenia (for Swedish clergyman and botanist Olaf Toren)--Tor reen ee uh
Torreya (for American botanist John Torrey)--Torr ee uh
Tovara--Toh vay ruh.
Townsendia (for Pennsylvania botanist David Townsend)--Town send ee uh
Trachellum (neck, for supposed remedial properties)--Trak keel ee um: throatwort
Trachelospermum (neck-seed, as to seeds having necks)--Trak el oh sperm um
Trachycarpus (rough-fruit)--Trak ik karp us: windmill palm (T. fortunei)
Trachymene (rough-membrane, as to fruits)--Trak kim en ee: blue-lace-flower (T. caerulea)
Tradescantia (for English gardener John Tradescant)--Trad es skant ee uh: spiderwort
Tragopogon (goat-beard)--Trag oh poh gon: goats-beard
Trapa--Tray puh: water-chestnut
Trautvetteria (for Russian botanist E. R. von Trautvetter)--Trot vet teer ee uh.
Trichocaulon (hair-stem)--Trik oh kawl on
Trichocereus (hair-Cereus)--Trik oh seer ee us
Trichopilia (hair-cap, under which anthers hide)--Trik oh pill ee uh
Trichosanthes (hair-flower, as to fringed petals)--Trik os anth eez
Trichosporum (hair-seed)--Trik koss por um
Trichostema (hair-stamen)--Trik oh steem uh: blue-curls
Tricyrtis (three-arches, a to nectar-bearing perianth sacs)--Trye surt iss: toad-lily
Trientalis (one-third-of-a-foot, as to its height)--Trye en tay liss: starflower
Trifolium (three-leaf, as to leaflets)--Trye foh lee um: clover
Trigonella (three-cornered, as three-part leaves)--Trye gon nell uh
Trilisa (anagram of Liatris, which it resembles)--Trye liss uh: Carolina-vanilla (Trilisa odoratissima)
Trillium (for leaves and petals in threes)--Trill ee um
Tripterygium (three-wing, as to winged fruit)--Trip ter rij ee um
Tritonia (the name's author says it commemorates mythical Triton, in the sense of a weathervane, for its aimless stamens)--Trye toh nee uh
Trochodendron (wheel-tree, as to appearance of flowers with ring-form anthers)--Trok oh den dron.
Trollius--Trol ee us.
Tropaeolum (diminutive of trophy)--Trop pee ol um: Nasturtium.
Tsuga--Tsoo guh: Hemlock.
Tulipa (from an ancient word for turban)--Tew lip uh: Tulip.
Tunica (tunic, as to close-fitting calyx)--Too nik uh.
Turraea (for Italian botanist Giorgio della Torre or Turra)--Tur ree uh.
Typha (ancient name)--Tye fuh.

U

Ulex (ancient name for this or similar shrub)--Yew lex: Furze, Gorse.
Ulmus (the classical name)--Ul mus: Elm.
Umbellularia (bearing umbellules, a technical arrangement of grouped flowers)--Um bel yew lay ree uh: California-laurel.
Umbilicus (navel, as to dimpled leaf centers)--Um bil lye kus.
Urginea--Ur jin ee uh: Sea-onion.
Ursinea (for German botanical author John Ursinus)--Ur sin ee uh.
Uvularia (uvula- or palate-like, as to drooping flowers)--Yew vew lay ree uh: Bellwort.

V

Vaccinium (the classical name)--Vak sin ee um: Blueberry, Cranberry.
Valeriana (the classical name)--Val eer ee ay nuh: Valerian.
Valerianella (diminutive of Valeriana)--Val eer ee uh nell uh.
Vallaris--Val lay riss.
Vallota (for French botanist Pierre Valot)--Val loh tuh: Scarborough-lily
Vancouveria (for Captain George Vancouver, explorer of the American Northwest)--Van koo veer ee uh.
Vanda--Van duh.
Vandopsis (Vanda-like)--Van dops iss.
Vanilla (little-sheath, as to pods of some species whose seeds yield vanilla extract)--Van nill uh.
Veltheimia (for a Count of Veltheim)--Velth eye mee uh.
Venidium--Ven nid ee um.
Veratrum (ancient name for Hellebore)--Vehr ray trum: False hellebore.
Verbascum (the ancient name)--Ver bask um: Mullein.
Verbena (ancient name for Vervain)--Ver bee nuh.
Verbesina (probably suggested by the name Verbena)--Ver bes sye nuh: Crownbeard.
Vernonia (for English botanist William Vernon)--Ver noh nee uh: Ironweed.
Veronica (for Saint Veronica)--Ver ron ik uh: Speedwell.
Veronicastrum (Veronica-like)--Ver on ik kast rum: Culvers-root.
Vesicaria (bladder, as to pod shape)--Vess ik kay ree uh.
Viburnum (the classical name)--Vye burn um.
Vinca (from Pervinca, the classical name)--Vin kuh: Periwinkle.
Viola (classical name)--Vye ol uh: Violet.
Vitex (the classical name for this or a similar shrub)--Vye tex: Chaste-tree (V. agnus-castis).
Vitis (the classical name for the Vine)--Vye tiss: Grape.
Vriesia (for Dutch doctor W. de Vriese)--Vree zee uh.

W

Wahlenbergia (for Swedish botanist Goran Wahlenberg)--Wahl en berj ee uh.
Waldsteinia (for Austrian botanist von Waldstein)--Wold stye nee uh.
Washingtonia (for George Washington)--Washing toh nee uh.
Watsonia (for English botanist Sir William Watson)--Wot soh nee uh.
Weigela (for Pomeranian Bishop Johannes Wigand)--Wig gand ee uh.
Wilcoxia (for U.S. Brigadier-General Timothy E. Wilcox)--Wil kox ee uh.
Wisteria (for Professor Caspar Wistar of Pennsylvania)--Wiss teer ee uh.
Woodsia (for English botanist Joseph Woods)--Wood zee uh.
Woodwardia (for English botanist Thomas J. Woodward)--Wood wahr dee uh: Chain-fern.
Wulfenia (for Austrian mineralogist F.X. von Wulfen)--Wool feen ee uh.

X

Xanthisma (that-which-is-dyed-yellow, as to flower color)--Zanth iz muh.
Xanthoceras (yellow-horn, as to blotch-like markings at base of disk-flowers)--Zanth oh seer as.
Xanthorhiza (yellow-root)--Zanth or rye zuh: Shrub Yellow-root.
Xanthosoma (yellow-body, as to its flower stigma)--Zanth oh soh muh: Malanga, Tanier, Yautia.
Xeranthemum (dry-flower, as to "everlasting" quality)--Zeer anth em um: Common Immortelle (X. annuum).
Xerophyllum (dry-leaf, as to tough, wiry leaves; or because it likes boggy conditions for its roots)--Zeer oh fill um: Turkey-beard.
Xylobium (wood-life, as to its epiphytic habit of living in, but not "on", trees)--Zye loh bee um.
Xylophylla (wood-leaf, as to its leaf-like branches)--Zye loh fill uh.

Y

Yucca--Yukk uh: Includes Adams-needle, Spanish-bayonet, Joshua-tree.

Z

Zaluzianskya (for Polish physician Adam Zaluziansky von Zaluzian)--Zal oo zee an skee uh: Night-phlox (N. capensis).
Zamia--Zay mee uh.
Zantedeschia (for Italian botanist Francesco Zantedeschi)--Zan ted desh ee uh: Calla.
Zanthorhiza (yellow-root)--Zanth or rye zuh: See Xanthorhiza.
Zanthoxylum (yellow-wood, as to color in some species)--Zanth ox il um.
Zauschneria (for Bohemian botanist H. Zauschner)--Zosh neer ee uh: California-fuchsia (A. californica).
Zea (classical name for a cereal grain)--Zee uh: Maize or Indian Corn is Z. mays, the species of which Sweet or Sugar Corn is a variety.
Zebrina (Zebra-like, as to striped leaves)--Zeb rye nuh: Wandering-Jew (Z. pendula.
Zelkova--Zel koh vuh.
Zenobia (probably for Queen Zenobia of Palmyra)--Zen noh bee uh.
Zephyranthes (West-wind-flower, a classical name compounded to indicate western origin)--Zeff er ranth eez: Zephyr-lily.
Zingiber (the classical name)--Zin jib er: Ginger.
Zinnia (for German physician Johann Gottfried Zinn)--Zinn ee uh.
Zygocactus (Cactus with a technical joining of parts)--Zye goh kak tus: Christmas Cactus.
Zygopetalum (joined-flowers, a technical aspect)--Zye goh pet al um.

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Other Genera:
1) A-D
2) E-L
3) M-P