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Nicotiana sylvestris flowers only during long days and N. tabacum flowers only during short days. If raised in the laboratory under different photoperiods, they can be induced to flower at the same time and can be cross fertilized to produce self-fertile offspring. What is the best reason for considering N. sylvestris and N. tabacum to be separate species?

1. They are morphologically distinct
2. They cannot interbreed in nature
3. They are reproductively distinct
4. They are physiologically distinct

Correct answer: They cannot interbreed in nature

Solution

Even though the plants can be made to flower together and produce fertile offspring in the lab, the key issue is whether they interbreed in nature. Different photoperiod requirements keep them reproductively isolated in the wild, so they are best treated as separate species.

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