Final answer:
The effect of sunlight on orchid development is an example of C. phenotypic plasticity, where environmental cues like photoperiodism influence an organism's phenotype.
Step-by-step explanation:
The influence of sunlight on the growth rate, flowering time, and number of flowers an orchid can produce is an example of phenotypic plasticity. This term refers to the ability of an organism to change its phenotype in response to environmental cues. Specifically, photoperiodism, which is the response of plants to the relative lengths of light and dark periods within a 24-hour cycle, plays a crucial role in determining when a plant flowers. Orchids receiving different amounts of sunlight per day will exhibit variations in their developmental patterns, such as growth rate and time of flowering, based on the photoperiodic signals they receive. This manifests the plasticity of their phenotypes due to environmental factors like light exposure.
The amount of sunlight any orchid receives per day influences growth rate, flowering time, and number of flowers. This is an example of phenotypic plasticity in plants. Phenotypic plasticity refers to the ability of an organism to change its phenotype in response to environmental conditions.