In botanical nomenclature, genius and species are always italicized, and the genus name is often what?

In botanical nomenclature, the genus name is always capitalized while the species name is written in lowercase. This convention helps to distinguish between different taxa in a clear and systematic way. By capitalizing the genus name, botanists ensure that it stands out and is easily identifiable within the context of a full scientific name. For example, in the name "Rosa rubiginosa," "Rosa" is the genus, which is capitalized, and "rubiginosa" is the species, which is not.

The other formatting choices such as lowercase, underlined, or bolded do not reflect the standard convention followed in scientific naming. Lowercase would contradict the rule for genus names, and while both genus and species names can be italicized, underlining and bolding are not standard practices in botanical nomenclature. This uniformity is vital for effective communication within the scientific community regarding plant classification.