Common Ginkgo

<em>Ginkgo biloba</em>, commonly known as the common ginkgo or maidenhair tree, is a gymnosperm in the family Ginkgoaceae and represents the sole living member of the order Ginkgoales. The species has a distribution spanning Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, largely as a result of widespread cultivation; its only confirmed wild populations are restricted to a small area of China. <em>Ginkgo biloba</em> is one of the oldest living tree species on Earth, with fossil relatives dating back over 200 million years, earning it recognition as a “living fossil.” The species is not currently evaluated for conservation status in its range-wide context. It is typically a large, long-lived deciduous tree with distinctive fan-shaped leaves that turn golden yellow in autumn. Ginkgo is widely planted as an ornamental and street tree globally and has longstanding use in traditional medicine. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. The species is dioecious, with separate male and female individuals, and produces fleshy, seed-bearing structures that are notable for their strong odor when ripe.