Q.The basic, lowest unit of the taxonomic hierarchy is the:

The taxonomic hierarchy, introduced by Carolus Linnaeus, is the descending arrangement of taxonomic ranks from the broadest (Kingdom) down to the narrowest (Species), with each level nesting the ranks below it. Species - the lowest rank - shows the greatest similarity among its members (e.g. Helianthus annuus and Helianthus tuberosus are both herbs but differ in life-cycle). A Genus groups multiple species sharing characters that distinguish them from another genus's species (Helianthus, Tridax). A Family groups genera sharing some similarity (Asteraceae); an Order groups families with fewer shared similarities; a Class groups orders sharing still fewer characters; a Division (= Phylum) groups a number of classes (Magnoliophyta); and Kingdom sits at the very top (Plantae). Botanical nomenclature standardises a fixed ENDING for each rank's name so th …