Exceptions to Mendelian genetics

That's interesting. While I don't remember much about Mendelian genetics other than the simplistic brown dominates blue, I have speculated for some time that there must be more to it. For instance, my daughter has blue eyes but neither I nor my husband do. Add to that that there is no-one, ever, on my husband's side that has had blue eyes. So it doesn't even make sense that it could be two recessive genes (a 25% chance?). Then there's the whole "skips a generation" concept that I think is interesting.

Again, I never studies genetics and this may all be explained in a textbook. I just think it's interesting.

An early hypothesis is that this is survival driven
A plant, unlike most animals cannot migrate if their environs changes from year to year, So a beneficial trait from the grandparents who lived, for instance, in a time of a drought would be beneficial to the grandchildren, who also live in the time of a drought. Where traits of the parents, who lived in the times of plenty of water, would not be beneficial.

Consequently, a skip a generation trait or combination of traits would aid species survival.

Nevertheless, I don't read this as a complete refutation of Mendel--it's just that the heredity rules of many species can be more complicated than that of peas, or fruit flies.

BTW Barbara McClintock's jumping genes (Transposons) also appear to violate Mendel's rules.

Rap

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That's a good way to look at it. This "discovery" should have been anticipated. How many times do humans have to learn that absolutes and extremes are rarely the whole answer. Exception is the rule.