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Ginkgo biloba-like Trees: True Leaves

By Michael Alan Prestwood

Fri 10 May 2024
Published 2 years ago.
Updated 7 days ago.
Plant Evolution
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Ginkgo biloba-like Trees: True Leaves

270 Million Years Ago (+/- 5 million years)
Efficient vascular networks inside leaves

The Ginkgo biloba, prominently featured in this image, stands as a testament to the resilience and persistence of nature. Its unique fan-shaped leaves, characterized by radiating veins, mark it as a “living fossil,” a term that reflects its ancient origins and relatively unchanged form over millions of years. These leaves first appeared during the Permian period, a time when the landscape was dominated by coniferous trees and early reptiles, setting the stage for the Ginkgo biloba’s long evolutionary journey. The depiction emphasizes the transition from simpler, primitive leaves to the more specialized flabellate leaves of the Ginkgo, illustrating a significant evolutionary development in plant life.

— map / TST —

Michael Alan Prestwood
Author & Natural Philosopher
Prestwood writes on science-first philosophy, with particular attention to the convergence of disciplines. Drawing on his TST Framework, his work emphasizes rational inquiry grounded in empirical observation while engaging questions at the edges of established knowledge. With TouchstoneTruth positioned as a living touchstone, this work aims to contribute reliable, evolving analysis in an emerging AI era where the credibility of information is increasingly contested.
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