Ginkgoaceae

A monogeneric and monospecific family comprising the ancient species Ginkgo biloba, a rounded to conical tree growing to 30 m or so tall in nature but smaller in cultivation. Bark smooth, grey-brown. Buds small, pointed, with a few scales. Leaves deciduous, mostly clustered on spur-like short shoots, 6-10 cm broad, long-stalked and variously divided at the tip into two fan-like lobes with numerous parallel veins radiating from the base; bright yellow in autumn. There are separate male and female plants. Male catkins pendulous, to 5 cm or more long. Female fruit orange-yellow, plum-like, ovoid, surrounding 2 ovules (naked at first), one of which develops into a thin-shelled nut to 2 cm wide.

The only living populations grow naturally in China but it has also been long cultivated in Japan and these may also date back to cultivated plants. Fossils occur world-wide.

Source: Spencer, R. (1995). Ginkgoaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 1, Ferns, conifers & their allies. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

Hero image
kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Ginkgoopsida
order     Ginkgoales
Higher taxa
Subordinate taxa
genus       Ginkgo L.