| Ginkgoaceae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| JurassicGinkgo leaves | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Gymnospermae |
| Division: | Ginkgophyta |
| Class: | Ginkgoopsida |
| Order: | Ginkgoales |
| Family: | Ginkgoaceae Engl.[1][2] |
| Genera | |
TheGinkgoaceae is a family ofgymnosperms which appeared during theMesozoic Era, of which the only extant representative isGinkgo biloba, which is for this reason sometimes regarded as aliving 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.[3]
