Ginkgophyta



Plants in phylum Ginkgophyta Julie Perkins A t one time, there were many plants in phylum ginkgophyta. Now, all but one are extinct. The only surviving plant is the ginkgo tree. This plant has made its mark on the world in many countries. It is one of the oldest species of trees on the Earth. It is often used as a supplement and can be very beneficial to people suffering from various conditions. According to clinical studies, it can aid people with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, poor circulation, glaucoma, macular degeneration, tinnitus, and is believed t o be beneficial to those with other conditions. [12] Characteristics of the Ginkgophyta Heather Vautrin G inkgophyta have many extordenary characteristics, but there are three main ones. These characteristics are: Ginkgo is a gymnosperm, which means that the ginkgo plants do not have their seeds incased in a ripe fruit but a fleshy seed casing. Another amazing characteristic of Ginkgo is that this tree and cycads are the only living kinds of plants that are seed producing plants that have motile sperm, which means it can propel itself. This in itself is an amazing characteristic. The final characteristic is the fact that green algae is living in harmony with the ginkgo tree. They have a symbiotic relationship. This is the only known case of algae living in a tree. [8] Class under Ginkgophyta Randall Rhodes G inkgophyta is not a plant phylum that branches off into different classes. The ginkophyta's class is ginkgoceae. The ginkgoceae is a class that was around in an era known as the Mesozoic era. During this era, there were more types of plant species in the ginkgophyta phylum as well. There are no other classes under ginkgophyta because, though they were common in the Mesozoic era, they are all extinct now except one. Due to the fact that ginkgo leaves are often found in fossils dating back millions of years and that every other species in this phylum is extinct, the tree is sometimes referred to as a living fossil. [13] Xylem, Phloem and Vascular Systems Heather Vautrin T he vascular system is a network of tubes and plant like “veins” that is a lot like humans circulatory system. The vascular system of plants is mainly comprised of the xylem and phloem. Xylem are tubes and cells that transport the water and other nutrients to the other parts of a plant. The xylem are made of vessels that help the water flow up fast into the higher branches of a tree. The xylem is also a support system, the rings in the trees are the “ghosts” of the xylem. Phloem are the cells which transport the glucose and other nutrients produced by the plants. They are lined end to end in the leaves and they are “immortal”. The phloem is forever alive unlike the xylem. One thing that most people don’t know is that the phloem is what creates sap. The sap is the glucose and other nutrients oozing out of the tree. [1] Ginkgophyta has a vascular system, just like the one above. They are also a gymnosperm. That means that their trees have both genders on the same tree and also on separate trees. [8] Roots, Stems and Leaves Heather Vautrin
 * They are gymnosperms
 * Motile sperm
 * Symbiotic relationship with green algae

A ll plants have a basic structure, this basic structure keeps them alive. This basic structure is made up of roots, stems and leaves. Technically, there are no parts to a plant that are not one of these three things. The roots have two main functions. The first function is to keep the plant grounded as to keep it from falling over. The second function is to be a transport for water and other nutrients from the soil. Stems are transports also; they help bring nutrients from the roots to different parts of the plant. They also help make the plant bigger, by spreading out and giving the leaves something to spread out on. Next are the leaves. Leaves are what give the plant most of its food. The leaves undergo photosynthesis, which is a chemical reaction within the leaf that causes glucose to be created. The glucose is the main energy source for the plant. The leaves also use most of the water and the nutrients that the roots provide to keep the photosynthesis process in check. [9]

Venation, Margins, and Compound Characteristics in Phylum Ginkgophyta Julie Perkins V enation is the pattern of veins in leaves. The ginkgo biloba species has a unique form of venation. It is called dichotomous venation. This means that the veins on the leaves are relatively parallel to one another. Also, the leaf will have a Y shape near the top. The leaf margin is top lobed, which means that there is a dip in the top of the leaf. [2]Ginkgo Biloba is a compound plant. This is because the leaves on the plant grow off of small stems.

Reproduction and Life Cycle of Ginkgophyta Randall Rhodes T he ginkgo tree reproduces dioeciously, meaning that there is both a male plant and a female plant. The difference between the male and female is that the male produces pollen cones with sporophylls, which hold the pollen. The female plant produces two ovules at the end of each stalk, and these produce fruit. The male plants pollen, after it pollinates the female can enter one or both of the ovules into seeds. The ginkgos have been believed to be over 1,500 years old while they are cultivated and harvested. These trees are also great at adapting to a more modern environment making it easier for them to live. [10]

Plant Hormones in Ginkgophyta Julie Perkins P hytohormones are hormones in plants which are like chemical messenger for the plant, much like hormones in humans. They are messengers which latch onto cells with the receptor so that the hormone only affects the outside of the cell, and the correct cell with the appropriate receptor. [11]  A major phytohormone that is found in ginkgo is phytoestrogens. These hormones perform functions in ginkgo trees as well as in humans. This phytoestrogen in ginkgo makes ginkgo a key supplement for many conditions as well as woman going through menopause. Ginkgo contains many hormones like this which are beneficial to both people and the plant itself. [4]  Another major hormone is auxin. This hormone is particularly important to the plant because it is the hormone which controls leaf and branch growth. This hormone aids the plant in where the branches are placed on the tree, and where the two different long and short types of branches in ginkgo occur. [3]

Evolutionary Success of Phylum Ginkgophyta Julie Perkins T here is only one plant left in phylum Ginkgophyta, the ginkgo tree. The phylum was evolutionary successful many millions of years ago in the Mesozoic era, when this phylum made up a significant part of the Earth’s vegetation. This occurred when seed bearing plants brought newfound reproductive success as opposed to pollen. [13] The reason that there is only one ginkgo species left is global climate change. After the peak of the phylum ginkgophyta, the Earth underwent cooling and climate change. Only one species managed to survive this transition to a colder environment. This species was successful because it was able to live through the change and, though it was nearly wiped out, still survives today. [7] The Role of Ginkgophyta in Humanity Randall Rhodes T he ginkgophyta has been found to be useful for many different things. In the culinary arts, for example, the ginkgophyta were used in Chinese dishes. The way these were integrated was by the seeds being taken out of the plant and then made into different foods. But, too much ingestion of the seeds can actually poison the human body and make the consumer sick. [6] The plant can also be used for medicinal reasons, it is believed to help women experiencing menopause, and is mainly used as memory, and as a concentration enhancer. [5]

Works Cited
 * 1) Biology4kids. "PLANTS VASCULAR SYSTEMS." //Biology4kids.com//. Andre Rader Studios. Web. 25 May 2011. [].
 * 2) Colorado State University. "Plant Structure: Leaves." //Colorado State University//. Web. 25 May 2011. [].
 * 3) Encyclopedia Britannica. "Gymnosperms: THE GYMNOSPERM DIVISIONS: Ginkgophytes: FORM AND FUNCTION." //Universitat De València//. 1995. Web. 25 May 2011. [].
 * 4) FemHealth.net. "Ginkgo Biloba Function - FemHealth.net." //FemHealth.net - Clarify All Your Doubts about Women's Health Concerns in Understandable Articles//. Web. 25 May 2011. [].
 * 5) HerbWisdom.com. "Ginkgo Biloba Benefits & Information." //Herb Information, Benefits, Discussion and News//. Hallnet, Ltd. Web. 25 May 2011. [].
 * 6) HubPages.com. "What Is Gingko? A Traditional Medicine & Food." //Hub Pages//. Web. 25 May 2011. [].
 * 7) Koder, Dr Kim D. "Ginkgo: Eldest Tree Survivor." //Urban Forestry South//. University of Georgia. Web. 25 May 2011. [].
 * 8) Kwant, Kor. "GINKGO BILOBA-The Ginkgo Pages-The Tree." //XS4ALL - Internet, Bellen, Televisie En Hosting//. Web. 25 May 2011. [|http://www.xs4all.nl/~kwanten/thetree.htm].
 * 9) Mikulecky, Peter, Michelle R. Gilman, and Brian Peterson. "Plant Biology: Roots, Shoots, Stems, and Leaves." //For Dummies//. Wiley Publishing, Inc. Web. 25 May 2011. [].
 * 10) Robinson, Peg. "Ginkgophyta Life Cycles | EHow.com." //EHow | How to Videos, Articles & More - Trusted Advice for the Curious Life | EHow.com//. Demand Media, Inc. Web. 25 May 2011. [].
 * 11) Sengbusch, Peter V. "Botany Online: Plant Hormones - Phytohormones." //Fachbereich Biologie - UNI HH//. Web. 25 May 2011. [].
 * 12) UMMC. "Ginkgo Biloba." //University of Maryland Medical Center//. A.D.A.M. Web. 25 May 2011. [].
 * 13) Viney, Mike. "Science Olympiad: Ginkgophyta." //The Virtual Petrified Wood Museum//. Web. 25 May 2011. [].

Ginkgophyta

Written by:

Anna Yip

Matthew Wickens

Ginkgophyta Phylum

Ginkgophyta phylum was once one of the largest plant phyla on the planet, but that was millions of years ago. Now there is all but 1 species of Ginkgophyta that exists today. When Ginkgos where at their largest population it was during the Mesozoic era where they covered most of the Earth but something changed that completely destroyed their dominance of the world. It was one single event that wiped most of the Ginkgos into oblivion, Climate change. Climate change dropped the average temperature to the point where Ginkgos could not survive. There was one however; it is called the Ginkgo tree or Maidenhair. Ginkgos do still contribute to society; the tree has herbal qualities that are showing promise to help people with mental ailments such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Characteristics

The Ginkgo tree, along with all the other, extinct Ginkgos, has 3 large characteristics that make them unique from other plant phylum. -Gymnosperms <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Being a gymnosperm means that the Ginkgo Tree does not have a fruit incased seed. Instead it is covered with a fleshy casing. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">-symbiotic relationships <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The Ginkgo tree has a unique bond with algae where the algae live inside the tree! They are the only tree known on Earth to have a bond like this. This is considered a mutualism symbiotic relationship because both the algae and the tree benefit from the relationship. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">-Motile sperm <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Motile sperm refers to the type of seed that the tree produces, and Ginkgos along with Cycads are the only living plants that produce motile sperm. Motile sperm means that the seeds have a form of self-propulsion, or it can move itself on its own!

Ginkgophyta: Classes Underneath the most plant phylum, there are different classes. However, for the phylum Ginkgophyta, there is only one class. This class is called Ginkgoopsida. Since there is only one surviving plant species in this class, the class is defined by the characteristics of the said species; the Ginkgo biloba (or Maidenhair Tree)

Vascular Systems: Xylem & Phloem Xylem and phloem can be found inside of vascular plants. They make up most of the vascular system that is found inside of these plants. Xylem is one of the two kinds of transportation tissue and phloem is the other. Xylem is most normally wood and is found throughout the plant. It is used to transfer H2O throughout the plant and sometimes nutrients, too. Phloem is the other kind of transportation tissue. It’s purpose is to transfer nutrients around the plant, especially glucose (sugar). The one and only plant in our phylum, the Maidenhair Tree, has a vascular system just like described before.

Stems, Roots & Leaves Every single plant is made up of three components: stems, roots and leaves. Those three parts make up the structure of all plants, although the way that they look differs with every plant species. The stem of a plant is used almost like a hallway; they bring nutrients from one side of the plant to the other. It is usually referred to as the skeleton of the plant. The roots of a plant have three main functions: taking in nutrients and water from the soil, keeping the plant in its position and holding the nutrients and water it takes in. Lastly, the leaves are found above ground connected to the stem and are used in photosynthesis to take in sunlight.

Venation Venation is the way that the veins in the leaves on plants align. In the only species left in our phylum, the leaves have all parallel veins that split off into two veins repeatedly. The Ginkgo leafs grow off onto smaller, individual stems, making it a compound plant. Those said leaves on the Ginkgo bilboa tree have leaf margins that dip at the top of the leaf so low that it almost splits the leaf.

Evolutionary Success There are two sides to question of whether or not the Ginkgophyta phylum was evolutionarily successful. To start, today there is only one plant species that is part of the Gingophyta phylum that has survived for millions of years. However, looking back in time, this phylum was full and living millions of years ago in the Mesozoic era. Compared to the single plant surviving today, its population in the earlier years is completely opposite. This phylum supposedly contained the main part of Earths vegetation. This, obviously, didn’t last forever. After a huge climate change when the temperatures took a turn for the cooler side, the Ginkgo bilboa tree was the only species left standing. It was the only one that could withstand lower temperatures.

Ginkgophlyta: It’s Role in Today’s World The Maidenhair tree is used very heavily in the medicine world. In Europe and the US, ginkgo supplements are within the best-selling herbal medications. It is also very popular in France and Germany. Its uses include treatment for circulatory disorders, Alzheimer’s disease and enhancement of the memory. Aside from this, Gingko bilboa has played a huge role in China. It has also been used for medicine, however it is seen as a more sacred and majestic herb for most of Asia. It is one of their oldest and most sacred trees and is used for many landscaping in Asian gardens.

Work Cited: <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">@http://petrifiedwoodmuseum.org/SOGinkgophyta.htm <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">@http://www.cmg.colostate.edu/gardennotes/134.pdf <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">@http://www.biology4kids.com/files/plants_xylemphloem.html <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">@http://comenius.susqu.edu/bi/202/ARCHAEPLASTIDA/VIRIDIPLANTAE/gymnosperms/GINKGOPHYTA/Ginkgo-LC.htm <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">@http://urbanext.illinois.edu/gpe/case1/c1facts2c.html <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">@http://kwanten.home.xs4all.nl/venation.htm <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">@http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ginkgo-biloba-000247.htm <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">@http://landscapenewengland.com/the-gingko-biloba-tree%E2%80%99s-link-to-asian-culture/