Red Dahlia

Dahlia is a member of the Asteraceae plants, related species include the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum, and zinnia. There are 42 species of dahlia, with hybrids commonly grown as garden plants. Flower forms are variable, with one head per stem; these can be as small as 5 cm diameter or up to 30 cm. This great variety results from dahlias being octoploids, meaning they have eight sets of homologous chromosomes, whereas most plants have only two. In addition, dahlias also contain many genetic pieces that move from place to place, which contributes to their great diversity.
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