Forestry/Tree List

Until the 2012 tree list comes out we will use the 2004 National list located here.

Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo)
Ginkgo is a unique gymnosperm in the monotypic family Ginkgoaceae. It is also classified in it's own division of Plantae, Ginkgophyta, as opposed to Pinophyta or Magnoliophyta. It is a well known example of a living fossil, although several other species in the Ginkgo genus have also been found in the fossil record. Ginkgo fossils first appeared in the Early Jurassic and became widespread throughout Laurasia, but they disappeared at the end of the Pliocene (about 2 mya) except for in a small area of central China. Today they are widely cultivated around the world, although they are classified as endangered by the IUCN due to their small natural range.

Ginkgos are large trees with somewhat erratic branches and a very long life span. The leaves are very distinctive, being fan-shaped with veins radiating from the base and constantly dividing in two (dichotomous venation).