Final answer:
Photoperiodism is the physiological reaction of organisms, particularly plants, to the length of daylight hours. Plants rely on the length of the dark period as a signal to flower, with long-day plants flowering when the day length exceeds their necessary photoperiod, and short-day plants flowering when the day length is shorter than their necessary photoperiod.
Step-by-step explanation:
Photoperiodism is the physiological reaction of organisms, particularly plants, to the length of daylight hours. Many flowering plants rely on the length of the dark period, or night length, as a signal to flower. Long-day plants flower when the length of daylight exceeds their necessary photoperiod, while short-day plants flower when the day length is shorter than their necessary photoperiod. Examples of long-day plants include carnations, clover, lettuce, wheat, and turnips, while short-day plants include cotton, rice, and sugar cane.