Iris Cohen schreef
I thought that some years ago they made a rule against [capitalization]

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No. They tried to but failed. Maybe some time in the future, maybe not
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Always having the species name in lower case is less confusing.

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If you refer to the specific epithet, then yes, many people feel that way.
Capitalization of specific and infraspecific epithets these days is mostly a
mark of a Third World publication (especially in works dedicated to a
certain person, with an initial capital when the person's name comes up),
with only an occasional dedicated taxonomist pitching in, in select cases.
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You will never convince me a ponderosa pine is masculine.

Chacun a son gout. I've seen full size ponderosa pines out West, and I've
seen them as bonsai. There is a magnificent one in our National Bonsai &
Penjing Museum, donated by the National Forest Service. I don't believe I've
ever seen a ponderosa bonsai grown by a woman. Definitely a guy thing.

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Not sure what this is supposed to prove?
PvR