Ginkgo Fruit

MichaelinA2 from Ann Arbor, United States

Thanks for the kind comments.

As to the Ginkgo...

"Ginkgos are dioecious, with separate sexes, some trees being female and others being male. Male plants produce small pollen cones with sporophylls each bearing two microsporangia spirally arranged around a central axis.

Female plants do not produce cones. Two ovules are formed at the end of a stalk, and after pollination, one or both develop into seeds. The seed is 1.5-2 cm long. Its fleshy outer layer (the sarcotesta) is light yellow-brown, soft, and fruit-like. It is attractive in appearance, but contains butanoic acid (also known as butyric acid) and smells like rancid butter (which contains the same chemical) or feces when fallen."

To learn more about this curious tree, check out...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo_Biloba

Cheers...

6 Nov 2009 1:08am