Ginkgophyta

The division Ginkgophyta consists of a single living species, Ginkgo biloba. A hardy deciduous tree, Ginkgo resembles an angiosperm in that the woody stem is frequently and irregularly branched and bears broad leaves, which are fan-shaped with dichotomously branched veins. Although it is now cultivated extensively around the world, Ginkgo is an endangered species, as its natural populations have been reduced to a small portion of the mountains of southeastern China.

Like the cycads, Ginkgo is dioecious and bears microsporangia and megasporangia on separate trees. A Ginkgo microstrobilus is borne on a dwarf shoot among the fan-shaped leaves. The microstrobilar axis bears stalked appendages at the ends of each of which are two microsporangia. Megastrobili are borne on elongated slender stalks, each with a pair of terminal ovules. Usually only one ovule matures into a seed.

Stems of Ginkgo are anatomically similar to those of conifers. Ginkgo has two kinds of branches: elongated major branches and dwarf lateral branches that bear leaves. After several years those dwarf shoots develop into short stubby outgrowths from the stem.