Which statement about the binomial plant name is true?

• A. The genus name is the first part and begins with a capital letter
• B. The genus name is the second part
• C. The genus name is always italicized
• D. The genus name is the only part with a space

Answer: (A)

In binomial nomenclature, a plant’s scientific name has two parts: the genus (the first word) and the species epithet (the second word). The genus is always capitalized, and the full two-part name is written in italics (or underlined if handwritten). There is a space between the genus and species parts. Because the genus is the first part and begins with a capital letter, that statement is the accurate description of how the binomial name is formed. The other options misstate the order, capitalization, or spacing rules.