Ginkgo

Anthology of Forests Launch:

Those fanned leaves are unlike any because - in fact - they are their own species, a lone branch on the vast genus of trees. I only know ginkgo from New York City. The leaves shine eggyolk yellow in the autumn, but not before the late summer, when the city is sweating and the ginkgo berries, splat and rancid, scent the sidewalk from the fruit of the female trees. Of course, these trees change from male to female many times throughout their life. But I get it, I feel I’ve smelled just as pungent myself.

These very leaves with long smooth veins lending to its nickname, maidenhair, have been found from fossil remains that are 270 million years old. Everything changes. But the ginkgo at a slower rate.

The seeds, leaves, and bark are still used today for medicinal purposes relating to memory and pain relief.