What is the correct way to write a plant name?
It should be written in italics, with the first letter of the genus capitalized. A species name comprised of a genus name and specific epithet is also known as a binomial. Subspecies, variety, and form are three possible rank designations below the level of species.
Do you capitalize common names of plants?
Plant Common Names Common names don’t need to be capitalized, but if it is a proper noun you may capitalize it. Sometimes the common name for a plant is simply the genus. When using a genus as a general common name you may see the genus used in lower case roman, such as cosmos.
Is Clematis capitalized?
The species epithet, the one-word addition to the genus name that creates the species name, should never be capitalized. So for a cultivar of a species you would see names like this: Clematis alpina ‘Ruby’, where the cultivar name is not italicized and in quotes (read more here on cultivar names).
What are the rules followed when naming a plant scientifically?
The scientific names of species are italicized. The genus name is always capitalized and is written first; the specific epithet follows the genus name and is not capitalized. There is no exception to this.
Should plant names be written in italics?
Genus and species: Names should always be italicized or underlined. The first letter of the genus name is capitalized but the specific epithet is not, e.g. Lavandula angustifolia. If the specific epithet is not known or not needed then it can be indicated by sp. (or spp.
Why are scientific names written in italics?
Going back to the question on why scientific names should be italicised or underscored, Dr. Lit said that it is done to highlight or differentiate them from the other words in an article or book. “Scientific names are in Latin, and not in English which is the universally-used writing language,” Lit explained.
Can you Capitalise plants?
The first element, the genus name, is capitalized; the second element, the species name, is not (even if it derives from a place name, as in Artemisia californica, the name of a plant found in California).
Do you capitalize Latin names of plants?
The difference between the two nomenclatures being, that in Latin plant names the genus is listed first and is always capitalized. The species (or specific epithet) follows the genus name in lowercase and the entire Latin plant name is italicized or underlined.
Are common names of plants italicized?
Genus and species: Names should always be italicized or underlined. The first letter of the genus name is capitalized but the specific epithet is not, e.g. Lavandula angustifolia.
How do plants get their names article?
Plants have names, just like people do. Known as the “International Code of Botanical Nomenclature,” the code is based on a two-name (binomial) system developed by the famous botanist Linnaeus. Each plant is given a first name and last name, generally based in Latin, that is unique to each species.
What is the correct way to write a scientific name?
3.1. 1 Scientific names
- Scientific names are always italicized.
- The genus is always capitalized.
- The species is never capitalized, even when it refers to the name of a place or person.
- In its first use within a particular document, the genus is always written in full.
Do you italicize the family name of a plant?
In American usage the family name is not usually italicized, e.g. Pinaceae, however the most recent edition of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (which is the official authority on plant names) recommends that all plant names be in a different font from the rest of the text.
How do you write the species name of a plant?
Plants are given a binomial species name that includes a genus and a specific epithet; for example, Pilea peperomioides (the species name for Chinese money plant). The species name is always written in italics or underlined. The genus is capitalized and the specific epithet is lower case.
Do you capitalize the first letter of a plant name?
The first letter of the genus name is always capitalized. The specific epithet is written second. The specific epithet is always underlined or italicized. The first letter of the specific epithet name is never capitalized. The scientific name of this plant would appear as follows:
Are there any scientific names that are printed in italic?
However, the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature and presumably the equivalent for zoological nomenclature state: As in the previous edition, scientific names under the jurisdiction of the Code, irrespective of rank, are consistently printed in italic type.