[header] How to write a scientific name [title] Write the genus name. [step] Use an online scientific name finder, such as sciname finder, to look up the genus of your organism. Underline or italicize the genus name, and capitalize the first letter. 
[substeps] For example, let's say you were writing the scientific name of the snake plant, a tropical plant native to west africa. The genus name would be written sansevieria or sansevieria.