Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo biloba, commonly known as ginkgo, also known as the maidenhair tree, is a species of gymnosperm tree that survived the Quaternary glacial movements. It is the last living species in the order Ginkgoales, which first appeared about 34S million years ago during the Carboniferous period. Therefore, ginkgo is often referred to as a “living fossil” in the plant kingdom and is a national Class-I key protected wild plant.

Ginkgo biloba is dioecious, with male plants not producing fruit, while female plants do not begin fruiting until they have reached twenty years of age.

Leaves: Fan-shaped, with diverging (almost parallel) veins called dichotomous venation. Leaves are bright green in spring and summer, turning yellow in autumn.

Seeds are edible (but excessive consumption may lead to poisoning) and have medicinal uses. Leaves have been used in medicine, and also used as insecticides and fertilizer.

Seeds: Ginkgo a species of gymnosperm tree without a fruiting structure.

The seeds are elliptic, turning yellow or orange when mature, covered in white powder, with fleshy, odorous and toxic outer coating.

Ginkgo biloba