### Question
How does the law define variety?


### Answer
Under *7 U.S.C. § 2401*, **variety** is defined as:

> a plant grouping within a single botanical taxon of the lowest known rank, that, without regard to whether the conditions for plant variety protection are fully met, can be defined by the expression of the characteristics resulting from a given genotype or combination of genotypes, distinguished from any other plant grouping by the expression of at least one characteristic and considered as a unit with regard to the suitability of the plant grouping for being propagated unchanged

#### Citation:
  - *7 U.S.C. § 2401*
  - Heading: **CHAPTER 57-PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION > SUBCHAPTER II-PROTECTABILITY OF PLANT VARIETIES AND CERTIFICATES OF PROTECTION > Part D-Protectability of Plant Varieties**

