The Wikipedia article on Cannabis also capitalizes the word. I don’t think I am used to that convention. Under what circumstances is it standard practice to capitalize names of organisms?
In modern usage, in writing the first letter of the first part of the name,
the genus, is always capitalized, while that of the second part is not [...]
Both parts are italicized. Thus the binomial name of the annual phlox is now
written as Phlox
drummondii.
Also:
The binomial name should generally be written in full. The exception to this
is when several species from the same genus are being listed or discussed in
the same paper or report, or the same species is mentioned repeatedly [...]
(In my opinion “cannabis” in most cases seems like a common name rather than a
taxonomical name, and it looks weird capitalized.)
Well, either you’re using it as a taxonomical term or not. If you are, it should be capitalized and italicized (“Cannabis”). If you aren’t, it shouldn’t (“cannabis”), but I prefer “hemp” (for the plant in general) or “marijuana” (for its use as a drug specifically).
The Wikipedia article on Cannabis also capitalizes the word. I don’t think I am used to that convention. Under what circumstances is it standard practice to capitalize names of organisms?
Wikipedia on binomial nomenclature:
Also:
(In my opinion “cannabis” in most cases seems like a common name rather than a taxonomical name, and it looks weird capitalized.)
Well, either you’re using it as a taxonomical term or not. If you are, it should be capitalized and italicized (“Cannabis”). If you aren’t, it shouldn’t (“cannabis”), but I prefer “hemp” (for the plant in general) or “marijuana” (for its use as a drug specifically).
Well, either way it’s just nitpicking. We ought to be arguing over the content, not the definition (or spelling) of a word.