Your professor wants you to construct a phylogenetic tree of orchids. She gives you tissue from seven orchid species and one lily. What is the most likely reason she gave you the lily?
A) to serve as an outgroup
B) to see if the lily is a cryptic orchid species
C) to see if the lily and the orchids show all the same shared derived characters
D) to demonstrate likely homoplasies

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The lily is most likely given to serve as an outgroup, as it is not an orchid and can help to root the phylogenetic tree and determine the relationships between the orchids based on shared derived characters.

Your Professor Wants You to Construct a Phylogenetic Tree of Orchids