Hydrangeas are a flowering plant with large showy blooms. When a plant is grown in acidic soil, it has blue flowers; if the same plant is transplanted into soil that is alkaline, the flowers produced will be pink. This is an example of
A) environmental influence.
B) codominance.
C) incomplete dominance.
D) polygenetic inheritance.
E) monohybrid inheritance.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The color change in hydrangea flowers from blue to pink depending on the soil pH is an example of environmental influence on the phenotype of the plant. The soil's acidity or alkalinity affects the availability of aluminum ions, which in turn affects the color of the flowers. This is not a genetic change but an environmental effect on the expression of genes.

Hydrangeas Are a Flowering Plant with Large Showy Blooms