What venomous snake genus includes the green mambas and black mamba?

The venomous snake genus that includes the green mambas and black mamba is Dendroaspis.

The genus name comes from Greek words associated with “tree” and “asp” or snake. Four living species are generally recognized: the eastern green mamba, Jameson's mamba, western green mamba and black mamba. The green species are principally arboreal, while the black mamba, Dendroaspis polylepis, is largely terrestrial and is usually brown or gray rather than black.

All mambas are elapid snakes, placing them in the same broad family as cobras and kraits. They are active daytime hunters that eat birds, lizards and small mammals. Despite dramatic stories about pursuit, black mambas generally avoid people and strike chiefly when threatened.

A frequent mistake is assuming the black mamba is named for black skin. The name refers to the dark interior of its mouth. Another mix-up is confusing the genus with a single species: “mamba” describes several Dendroaspis species, not just the black mamba.