Your Professor Wants You to Construct a Phylogenetic Tree of a Type

Multiple Choice

Your professor wants you to construct a phylogenetic tree of a type of plant called orchids. She gives you tissue from seven orchid species and one lily plant. What is the most likely reason she gave you the lily?

A) to serve as an outgroup
B) to see if the lily is an ancient orchid species
C) to see if the lily and the orchids show all the same shared derived characters
D) to demonstrate likely genetic similarities