(pl. genera) An important rank in the taxonomic hierarchy, which is subordinate to * family , but above the rank of * species. It is a group of obviously homogeneous species. The generic name forms the first part of the * binomial (the second being the specific epithet), e.g. Quercus robur. It is usually a singular noun and is written in Latin with a capital initial letter, but lacks a uniform ending. Collections of similar genera are grouped into families. Large genera, e.g. Rhododendron, may be further subdivided into sections and series, with the possibility of designating the additional subordinate ranks of subgenus, subsection, and subseries. |
