.png)
The term “living fossil” is one that gets tossed around every so often to describe species with long histories on our Earth. Organisms like alligators, coelacanths, and horseshoe crabs are often considered the poster children of evolutionary hardiness, and many marvel at their continued survival into the modern era. But what if I told you that there was a species living today that some theorize has barely changed for a whopping 56 million years? Enter the Ginkgo Tree, Ginkgo biloba—a tree many know but few truly understand.
Ginkgo biloba is the only member of its family that still exists today, but it and its relatives were once among the first trees to exist on earth. This ancient ancestry is evident in the unique way their branches are arrayed; the branches splay out at odd angles and don’t host a lot of offshoots. The strange, smelly fruits for which the species holds some notoriety also attest to a long life history. Few animals today shows the sort of preferential affinity one would expect from such distinct fruits, leading scientists to believe that Ginkgo biloba has even out-lived the original organism(s) it once relied on to disperse its seeds. For those unaware of the evolutionary hoops that must be jumped through to produce an adaptive relationship of that variety, this means that the Ginkgo biloba species likely spent hundreds of years adapting to attract a certain class of organism for its own benefit—and somehow went on to outlive it by many hundreds more. Modern replacements, perhaps even descendants of the original “target audience,” do the job to some degree, but the fact still remains that the Ginkgo Tree has survived a remarkably long time for undergoing so little in the way of further adaptation to aid in its reproduction cycle.
According to archaeological evidence, it appears as though Ginkgo biloba has survived several extinction events over its impressive lifespan. This hardiness has allowed it to outpace the threats that developed alongside it, leaving it almost totally unaffected by the pests and diseases that cripple many modern trees. Of course, the Ginkgo’s situation isn’t all sunshine and roses. Its lack of substantial change over such a long period of time has lead to its natural range shrinking significantly—it now struggles to reproduce and spread lacking the environment of its evolutionary “youth.” It was once even thought that the species had gone completely extinct outside of human cultivation, though a “wild” population has since been discovered in China. It seems strange that such an otherwise hardy tree might have suffered a slow and ignominious decline without human intervention, but such are the consequences of remaining so evolutionarily “old fashioned.”
Fortunately for botany hobbyists and paleobotanists alike, the Ginkgo Tree has never been without help in the era of humanity. The tree has been respected for centuries in Asia (the place where glaciers ultimately restricted its range at some point in history), and it has been cultivated for nearly as long as humankind has appreciated it. It began to expand across the world as early as the 1700s and has since become a staple plant in many urban environments. Despite its smelly fruits, it makes an ideal urban plant on account of its high carbon tolerance (an evolutionary must when you consider the sorts of atmospheric conditions the Ginkgo has survived) and resistance to the sorts of pests many urban trees are vulnerable to. Ginkgo Trees are also very beautiful and unique among other modern plants, with paddle-shaped leaves that turn a vibrant yellow color in the Fall.
Though the Ginkgo Tree’s ancient nature and unique beauty are some of its main talking points today, it also has one more quality for which it has been celebrated throughout history: its medicinal properties. In addition to being one of the hardiest plants around, various parts of the Ginkgo Tree—particularly the leaves—are known to have fairly positive effects on human health. Researchers have definitively demonstrated medicines derived from Ginkgo Trees to help in reducing inflammation, and there is some evidence to suggest that certain compounds found in Ginkgo Trees may be useful in combating bacterial infections, certain blood circulation issues, and potentially even degenerative diseases like dementia—though research for the latter has only produced mild or mixed results insofar. Amidst the chaos of the COVID-19 Pandemic, further research has gone underway to investigate the Ginkgo Tree’s potential as a general disease outbreak manager. Some of its compounds are noted for bolstering the body’s natural defenses, so widespread use of the plant could potentially help slow the progression and transmission of contagious diseases like COVID-19. Though these medical effects are astonishing when you consider all the other noteworthy characteristics of the Ginkgo Tree, it is important to note that medicines derived from Ginkgo Trees are not “wonder drugs” as they are sometimes touted to be. As with any natural medicine, it is important to treat Ginkgo remedies (which are currently unregulated in many areas of the world) with caution—especially if you take other medications.
All told, Ginkgo Trees really stand out amidst the many residents of Kingdom Plantae. Ancient, hardy, and medically beneficial, they are a plant we can certainly be glad to still have around! Next time you get a whiff of their peculiar fruit or notice a paddle-shaped leaf tumbling down the city street, you will know that there is much more to them than meets the eye—and more that is yet to be discovered.
Sources & Further Reading
This article goes further into detail on the history of Ginkgo Trees, and it also discusses the medical applications of the plant with sources to support every claim. If your interest has been piqued, this article is a great place to continue your investigation of the Ginkgo Tree.
This article, published in Harvard Magazine, further discusses the lengthy history of the Ginkgo Tree and highlights the incredible search for wild Ginkgo Trees. It also includes a brief video that showcases what Ginkgo Trees look like, which is great for those readers who may not have ever had the opportunity to see one in person. You’ll quickly see that I meant it when I said they resemble no other modern tree!
This scientific study collects and analyzes a wide array of research on the medical application of Ginkgo Trees as potential treatment options for degenerative diseases like dementia. This article is extensive and a great place to start when it comes to investigating our current understanding of the medical applications of Ginkgo Trees.
Dated at just slightly over a year old, this article is exactly what it claims to be: a collection of recent research into the medical applications of Ginkgo Trees. It contains several links to credible studies investigating the medicinal properties of this fascinating plant.
Opmerkingen