NEETBotanyPlant Kingdom
What was a major flaw in the artificial systems of classification?
Options
- AThey relied too much on genetic data.
- BThey considered only sexual characteristics.
- CThey gave equal weightage to vegetative and sexual characteristics.
- DThey ignored the environment's influence on species.
Correct answer
C. They gave equal weightage to vegetative and sexual characteristics.
Step-by-step solution
The earliest systems of classification used only gross superficial morphological characters such as habit, color, number and shape of leaves, etc. They were based mainly on vegetative characters or on the androecium structure (system given by Linnaeus). Such systems were artificial; they separated the closely related species since they were based on a few characteristics. Also, the artificial systems gave equal weightage to vegetative and sexual characteristics; this is not acceptable since we know that often the v