A scientist doing reasearch found that flower color and pollen shape were traits that were always passed together. That is they did not fit mendels rule for independent assortment. Why might that be?

The genes for flower color and pollen shape are closely linked.

Explanation:

Mendel's law of independent assortment states that alleles of two genes are assorted independently during gamete formation. It requires that the two genes are present on different chromosomes or they are distantly placed on the same chromosome. When two genes are closely placed on the same chromosome, they are said to be closely linked. These genes are inherited together and do not exhibit the independent assortment. Therefore, the genes for flower color and pollen shape must be closely located on the same chromosome.