Which of the following is an example of a trait that follows simple Mendelian inheritance?

The option that represents a trait following simple Mendelian inheritance is flower color in pea plants. This is because Mendel's classic experiments with pea plants demonstrated clear dominant and recessive traits. For example, in pea plants, purple flower color (a dominant trait) can mask the expression of white flower color (a recessive trait). When cross-pollinating plants with these traits, the predictable ratios of offspring—specifically a 3:1 ratio of purple to white flowers in the F2 generation—illustrate Mendelian inheritance principles effectively.

In contrast, traits such as human height, skin color, and eye color are influenced by multiple genes and environmental factors, resulting in complex inheritance patterns that do not fit neatly into the simple dominant-recessive framework established by Mendel. These traits exhibit continuous variation rather than discrete categories, making them examples of polygenic inheritance rather than simple Mendelian inheritance.