Ginkgoaceae

Ginkgoaceae
Temporal range: Jurassic–Recent
Jurassic Ginkgo leaves
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Ginkgophyta
Class: Ginkgoopsida
Order: Ginkgoales
Family: Ginkgoaceae
Adans.
Genera

Baieroxylon
Cheirophyllum
Chiropteris
Ginkgo
Ginkgoites
Ginkgoïdium
Ginkgopitys
Phoenicpsis
Polyspermophyllum
Trichopitys

The Ginkgoaceae is a family of gymnosperms which appeared during the Mesozoic Era, of which the only extant representative is Ginkgo biloba, which is for this reason sometimes regarded as a living fossil. Formerly, however, there were several other genera, and forests of ginkgo existed. Because leaves can take such diverse forms within a single species, these are a poor measure of diversity, although differing structures of wood point to the existence of diverse ginkgo forests in ancient times.[1]

References

  1. Gnaedinger, S. (2011). "Ginkgoalean woods from the Jurassic of Argentina: Taxonomic considerations and palaeogeographical distribution". Geobios. 45 (2): 187–198. doi:10.1016/j.geobios.2011.01.007.
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