Latin names of plants are italicized

• A. because they are expressed in a different language
• B. to denote the plant's origin
• C. to indicate the genus rank
• D. to emphasize cultivar status

Answer: (A)

In plant naming, Latin scientific names are italicized to signal that they are formal terms written in Latin, the international language of science. This standardizes names so botanists worldwide can recognize and communicate about the same species regardless of local languages. Italics also help distinguish the formal two-part Latin label from everyday text or common names. Note that cultivar names are not italicized; they are treated differently (often capitalized and placed in single quotes), so italicization isn’t about cultivar status.