Origin of Ginkgo biloba L. Phylogenetic approach

A cladistic analysis on fossil and modern Gymnosperms (20 taxa) is presented and discussed with particular mention of Ginkgo biloba L. origin. The consensus tree obtained from 68 characters (59 informative characters) shows a monophyletic clade containing all plants bearing micropylate ovules ('Micropylophytes'). Medullosales appear at the base of this clade. Ginkgo forms the sister group of the Dicranophyllales + Coniferales. The obtained phylogeny implies that the Ginkgoales ancestor is to be found during the Upper Carboniferous.