Texas FFA Nursery Landscape Practice Exam

In scientific names, what does the second word represent?

1. Order

2. Cultivar

3. Family

4. Specific epitaph

The correct answer is: Specific epitaph

In scientific nomenclature, the second word in a binomial name represents the specific epithet, which is the unique identifier for a species within its genus. The first word of a scientific name denotes the genus, while the second word provides more specific information about the species. This two-part naming system, known as binomial nomenclature, helps ensure clarity and precision in the identification of organisms. The specific epithet can sometimes convey information about a characteristic of the species, such as its appearance, habitat, or even in honor of a person. For example, in the name *Homo sapiens*, "Homo" is the genus and "sapiens" is the specific epithet that identifies the species as modern humans. Other terms such as order, cultivar, and family refer to different taxonomic ranks or categories that do not pertain specifically to the second word in a scientific name. Order is a higher classification that groups families, cultivar refers to a variety of a species that has been cultivated for specific traits, and family consists of related genera. Understanding the role of the specific epithet is essential for proper scientific communication in botany and biology.