Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo biloba
Temporal range: Early Eocene (Ypresian) - Present

Critically Imperiled  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Gymnospermae
Division: Ginkgophyta
Class: Ginkgoopsida
Order: Ginkgoales
Family: Ginkgoaceae
Genus: Ginkgo
Species:
G. biloba
Binomial name
Ginkgo biloba
Synonyms
  • Ginkgo macrophylla K.Koch
  • Pterophyllus salisburiensis J.Nelson, nom. illeg.
  • Salisburia adiantifolia Sm., nom. illeg.
  • Salisburia biloba (L.) Hoffmanns.
  • Salisburia ginkgo Rich., nom. illeg.
  • Salisburia macrophylla Reyn.

Ginkgo biloba, commonly known as ginkgo or gingko (/ˈɡɪŋk, ˈɡɪŋkɡ/ GINK-oh, -goh), also known as the maidenhair tree, is a species of gymnosperm tree native to East Asia. It is the last living species in the order Ginkgoales, which first appeared over 290 million years ago, and fossils very similar to the living species, belonging to the genus Ginkgo, extend back to the Middle Jurassic epoch approximately 170 million years ago. The tree was cultivated early in human history and remains commonly planted, and is widely regarded as a living fossil.

Ginkgo leaf extract is commonly used as a dietary supplement, but there is insufficient clinical evidence that it supports human health or is effective against any disease.

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