Question

Nicotiana is a
A. Variety
B. Subspecies
C. Species
D. Genus

Answer 1

Hint: Plant taxonomy is the science that identifies and classifies different plants and similar plants in symmetrical groups. In plant classification order of classification is: Kingdom, division, class, order, family, genus, species.

Complete answer: Plant taxonomy is the field in which plants of similar type are grouped into the same group and different plants are classified to different groups of plants. To give appropriate taxonomy a hierarchical division are divided which are:
> Kingdom
> Division
> Class
> Order
> Family
> Genus
> Species.
Nicotiana is a genus of herbaceous plants and shrubs on the family Solanaceae, that is commonly found in America, Australia, south west Africa and south pacific. Different species of nicotiana are commonly known as tobacco plants and cultivated as an ornamental garden plant. N. tabacum is commonly grown worldwide for the production of tobacco leaf to be used for cigarettes and other tobacco products.
The word nicotiana was named in honour of Jean Nicot who was a French ambassador to Portugal and sent it as a medicine in 1559, to the court of Catherine de’ Medici.
Nicotiana comes under the family Solanaceae, which include many species like N. tabacum, N. Africana. Subspecies is a taxonomic category below genus and species while variety is category below subspecies.

Thus, the correct answer for the question is option ‘D’ that is Nicotiana is a genus.

Note: Despite use in tobacco products, it is also used for many other purposes like some animals feed on it without having any harmful effect and it is used in medicines and the pharma industry. Tobacco plants are unpalatable to many species thus, some tobacco plants have become invasive species in some places.