Answer to Question 1The genus (or generic) name of a plant is a noun because it refers to the plant's group
name, which one plant within the group shares with another related plant within the
group. All plants having the same genus name are said to belong to the same genus. The
species name is an adjective because it describes that particular plant within the plant
group. For example, Betula lutea is the yellow birch because lutea means yellow.
Answer to Question 2It is important to use a plant's scientific name when discussing it to ensure others know
exactly which plant you mean. The scientific name is useful because common names are
both potentially misleading and varied by region of the country or globe.
