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| Image: John Cancalosi/Alamy |
The ginko tree is another living relic of a once prolific group of gynosperms called the Ginkgoales. Today, Ginkgo biloba is the only remaining species from this group.
Plants Can Be Living Fossils Too
Relictual plant species are also important for describing earth's biological history and the evolutionary trends shaping the planet's future.
For example, the horsetail (Equisetum) is a vascular plant that was once abundant during the Paleozoic era. This species is a fern belonging to the group, Pteridophyta, which reproduce by way of spores rather than seeds. Today's horsetails are small understory plants, though millions of years ago, this diverse group included tree-like species that measured 30 meters tall.
The ginko tree is another living relic of a once prolific group of gynosperms called the Ginkgoales. Today, Ginkgo biloba is the only remaining species from this group.
The ginko tree is another living relic of a once prolific group of gynosperms called the Ginkgoales. Today, Ginkgo biloba is the only remaining species from this group.
