As mentioned, the next category within family is 

genus

(plural 

genera

). Although genus names can stand on their own, when a 

species within the genus is not known, the full scientific name, 

the 

binomial

, consists of genus + species

•

You can also tell a genus name by the fact that it is not only capitalized like 
family names but is also i

talicized

(sometimes to indicate italics, the name 

is underlined)

•

Every binomial starts with the genus name, followed by the 

specific 

epithet

•

Like family names, genus names are usually derived from Latin or Greek 
although sometimes they’re also based on a person’s name

•

Learning to demystify genus names can help recognize them as in the case 
of 

Delphinium

(sleek flowers like a dolphin), 

Anemone

(flower parts easily 

blown away by the wind), 

Rosmarinus

(dew of the sea for the blue 

flowers), or 

Rhododenron

(red tree for the flowers and sometimes large 

treelike plants)