How to properly write scientific names

I am assuming that most people aren't, but if you don't belong to the 'most people' category and would like to sharpen your botanical knowledge further by learning how to properly write scientific names, then this is for you, padawan. These are very simple rules, and I will try to present these in a very simple and layman-friendly manner. Note that the rules enumerated here are not arranged in order of importance.

First rule: Scientific names are supposed to be italicized- if you can.

Particularly in the English language, any foreign word is italicized to denote that it is a foreign word. Since scientific names are NOT in English (hence, it follows that scientific name pronunciations should also NOT be in accordance with English rules), then these are supposed to be italicized. Note, however, that I already have so far mentioned the word "supposed" twice. This is because at the dawning of social media, most people don't know how to italicize their typed words even if they wanted to because the option either wasn't available then or it is currently obscure. Instafonts and YayText provide this option as well as several other fonts. I certainly did not know how to italicize my written scientific names for years, and I must admit to being guilty of not italicizing such names particularly when making quick comments on social media and you don't have the time to copy and paste your own words, pass it through a font generator, and copy and paste again. I think it's alright, for as long as you know that you have to and still make an effort to write the correct way when you are not too restricted by time. And I said that because I am aware of people getting triggered when you try and point them to the right way. It is as if everybody is correct nowadays and people will go to lengths explaining themselves to death and expecting everybody else to subscribe to that idea, however ridiculous. Strange times we live in. There is a difference between knowing what is right but taking the liberty not to follow it due to some legitimate reasons, and not knowing that such a rule exists but is provoked when people tell them that it does. 

If you're feeling geeky about this, then you write 'Staminodal shield of Paphiopedilum hennisianum' and not 'Staminodal shield of Paphiopedilum hennisianum'. However, this rule is the most lenient of those listed here due to reasons mentioned above.

Second rule: You don't capitalize all the letters in a scientific name.

A social media post entitled 'My favorite ANTHURIUM species' looks meh, but not 'My favorite Anthurium species' or 'My favorite Anthurium species.' The only exception to this is when you are writing the name in a title format for a publication and the rest of the letters are also capitalized for maximum kick. Hence, for example, a book title called 'THE GENUS EPIDENDRUM' or 'THE GENUS EPIDENDRUM' breaks no rules. However, 'The genus EPIDENDRUM' would look awkward. Not exactly illegal, but it sure would make it appear that your mom did not give you enough attention when you were little.

Third rule: When writing generic names in plural, then there is no need to write it in italics and in upper case. 

I haven't seen anyone talk about this. The spelling of generic (genus) names are fixed. When you anglicize it and add the 's' at the end to convey that you are referring to multiple species within that genus, then there is no need to italicize that genus name because it no longer is in, what I would say, pure Latin. And since, like I said above, the spelling names of genera are fixed, then the anglicized and pluralized version of that genus name is no longer capitalized either. Thus, you don't say Vandas/Vandas but vandas. Try searching for 'Sonerilas' in the International Plant Names Index and you'll see that it won't bear any result because there is no such genus name of that name. There is a Sonerila, but there is no genus that goes by the name of 'Sonerilas'. So, remember, it's 'hoyas' and not 'Hoyas'. It's 'medinillas', not 'Medinillas'. The only exception to this is when you are using that pluralized genus name as the opening word of your sentence. Therefore, "Begonias die when you look at them funny." and not "begonias die when you look at them funny." 

I must confirm that some begonias do indeed start the process of dying the moment you ogle and start congratulating yourself for finally having been able to figure them out. 

Told 'ya.

Oh, and before I forget: you don't put apostrophe marks! You don't say "I collect Labisia's' because what you ultimately mean by that is "I collect Labisia is" which is pure drunkard gibberish. Do yourself a favor and don't make it appear to the public that you relish monkey brains for breakfast even if you really do. 

How do you write in plural form those generic names that end in 's'? You write it as it is. Thus, 'Nepenthes' and not 'Nepentheses' or 'nepentheses'. Nepenthes petiolata shown here.

Amorphophallus people have always been an odd bunch, and you'll sometimes see them refer to this genus in plural as 'Amorphophalli'. I think it's acceptable, if only it is neither in upper case nor italics. The very common and widespread A. paeoniifolius is illustrated above. 

Fourth rule: You don't write species names in upper case letters.

To be fair, there was a time when species names were written in upper case especially if the said name honors a person or a family (e.g. ending in -ii, -ae, or -orum) or a place (ending in -ense, -ensis, or -a as in 'africana', 'americana', 'japonica', or 'philippina'. I am too lazy to check out the year it was deemed obsolete but the point is that it is exactly that: obsolete. Ergo, it's 'Sequoia sempervirens' and not 'Sequoia Sempervirens'. I see very many social media posts and videos where the species names are also in upper case as the generic names. These are probably the same folks who still refer to Epipremnum aureum as 'pothos' despite these plants not being pothos since 1908.* Nevertheless, I really cannot fault you for it because people who know shit generally won't take the time to sit and talk to gardeners and say, "hey, this is how you do it."

*Pothos aureus was described in 1880. In 1908, it was transferred to Scindapsus as S. aureus. 1963 saw the name being designated under Rhaphidophora (R. aurea) and a year later, 1964, botanists finally concluded their love affair with absinthe and had the plant placed to its currently accepted generic placement under Epipremnum.  If you are still sticking to 'pothos' as a name for these plants, then marvel at how outdated your taxonomy is. 

So that concludes it. This article was written in just one sitting, with no benefit of a draft or any prior planning so if I forgot anything, then it'll be updated as necessary. Now bask in the warmth of your newfound wisdom, padawan!