The Canadian Style
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4.24 Biological terms
Capitalize the scientific name of a phylum, order, class, family or genus, but not common names or the epithets referring to a species or subspecies, even if they are derived from proper names:
- the phylum Arthropoda
- the order Rosales
- the genus Sporotrichum
- the species Sporotrichum schenkii (second word denotes species)
- The jaguar and the lion are members of the family Felidae.
See 6.11 Mathematical, statistical and scientific material for rules governing the italicization of biological classifications.
Capitalize proper nouns modifying a common name, except where usage has established the lower case:
- Grayson lily
- Cupid’s-delight
- Queen Anne’s lace
- Judas tree
- Canada goose
- Dutch elm
but
- malpeque oyster
- timothy grass
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