Jim Shields asked of Welwitschia: "How do you suppose they pronounce the genus name in its native Namibia? (hints: former German colony)"
Jim, I think the eponym was Belgian, so I've often wondered about how he pronounced his name. I use the "v" sound for the "w" here. Evidently I'm not alone. I once overheard the members of a botany class discussing this plant. Their mnemonic for remembering the name was Velveeta. For those of you outside of North America, Velveeta is a brand name for a food made with cheese. I wonder if anyone got confused and called it lasagna instead - that sort of what it looks like. Jim McKenney
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