Can I set the format of an entire column except for the header?

Question

I would like to italicize all of the names in the second column of a table, but presently the only way I have found to do this is to use \textit{} in each cell, i.e.:

\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{lll}
PFT & Scientific Name & Common Name\\
PFT1 &  & \\
 & \textit{Elymus repens} & quackgrass\\
 & \textit{Koeleria macrantha} & prairie Junegrass\\
 & \textit{Elymus canadensis} & Canada wildrye\\
%....
\end{tabular}
\label{tab:foo}
\caption{test caption}

Is there an easier / more elegant way to do this?

Answer 1

Use the array package to specify \itshape for the second column, and use the \multicolumn command to cancel the effect for the header.

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{array}

\begin{document}

\begin{tabular}{l>{\itshape}ll}
PFT & \multicolumn{1}{l}{Scientific Name} & Common Name\\
PFT1 &  & \\
 & Elymus repens & quackgrass\\
 & Koeleria macrantha & prairie Junegrass\\
 & Elymus canadensis & Canada wildrye\\
\end{tabular}

\end{document}