Certified Arborist Practice Test

In the scientific name Acer saccharinum, the part that represents the genus is "Acer." The genus is the first part of the binomial nomenclature system established by Carl Linnaeus, which assigns a two-part scientific name to every species. This system helps categorize living organisms and establishes a consistent method for naming them.

In this case, "Acer" is the genus that encompasses various species of maples. The second part, "saccharinum," is the specific epithet that distinguishes this particular species within the Acer genus, which is often associated with sugar maples. Understanding that the genus is always capitalized and is crucial for identifying related species and their classifications helps in plant taxonomy and provides clarity regarding the relationships between different organisms.

The other terms provided do not represent the correct botanical classification; "Maple" is a common name for the plant that falls under the Acer genus, and "Tree" is a general term that cannot be proprietary to any specific genus or species.