Aquatic, Wetland and Invasive Plant Particulars and Photographs University of Florida Aquatic, Wetland and Invasive Plant Information Retrieval System

What is a genus and what is a species?

Taxonomy is the scientific classification of organisms. Plant and animal taxonomy is arranged in a hierarchy, from phylum down to species.

Phylum or Division
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species

A species is a group of individuals that do not successfully interbreed with individuals of other groups. A genus is a group of closely related species.


In scientific names, the first word is the genus name, and the second word denotes the species. Thus, in the example, Eleocharis baldwinii, Eleocharis is the genus name, and Eleocharis baldwinii is the species name.


The term, Eleocharis spp., refers to all 150 species in the Eleocharis genus.