In a particular kind of ornamental flower, the wild-type flower color is deep purple, and the plants are true-breeding. In one true-breeding mutant stock, the flowers have reduced pigmentation, resulting in a lavender color. In a different true-breeding mutant stock, the flowers have no pigmentation and are thus white. When a lavender-flowered plant from the first mutant stock was crossed to a white-flowered plant from the second mutant stock, all the F1 plants had purple flowers. The F1 plants were then allowed to self-fertilize to produce an F2 generation. The 277 F2 plants were 157 purple: 71 white: 49 lavender.
Explain how flower color is inherited. Is this trait controlled by the alleles of a single gene?
What kinds of progeny would be produced if lavender F2 plants were allowed to self-fertilize?