Unfortunately, these have focused on different traits and do not agree with each other. A better, universally accepted classification of the lily species is needed. Such a classification would help to answer several interesting evolutionary questions, help lily breeders to make new hybrids, and aid in the conservation of wild lily species. Mitchell notes that a more accurate method of classification would serve as an important guide to lily hybridizers by suggesting which species could interbreed. Rare or recently discovered species can be better conserved, grown, and bred if their closest relatives are known.
Species are likely to respond to the same care required by better known relatives.
Former methods of classification involve studying visible traits such as flower shape and fertility of hybrids. Studying data from the plant s DNA provides a significantly higher degree of accuracy. The huge amount of DNA in each cell allows a much larger amount of data to be collected, making an analysis more accurate, Mitchell wrote. Also, DNA changes, unlike visible differences between plants, are the result of random mutations. DNA differences can be directly related to classification, because they are not influenced by such non-random factors as pollinator and climate.