Eocene Ginkgo biloba Fossil Leaf

This plaque displays an example of a tree from the lacustrine deposits of the McAbee Flora of the Eocene of British Columbia, Canada with fine preservational details. The region was dominated by a shallow lake. Plant matter which fell into the water was covered with a fine layer of silt which built up over the years as a result of deposition of diatoms which bloomed in the lake each spring and died in the summer. This is a fine example of the preservation for which this biota is known. The Ginkgophyta probably originated about the same time as the Cycads during the late Paleozoic, with fossils found in North America until the Miocene. The fan-shaped leaves of most members are quite distinctive. Gingko biloba is the only extant member. The flora was dominated by conifers farther away from the lake, and elm, birch, beech, and alder near to the lakeshore.

Also see: Living Fossils Plant Fossils Ginkgo Fossils