Ginkgo

Perhaps the world's most distinctive tree, ginkgo has remained stubbornly unchanged for more than two hundred million years. A living link to the age of dinosaurs, it survived the great ice ages as a relic in China, but it earned its reprieve when people first found it useful about a thousand years ago. Today ginkgo is beloved for the elegance of its leaves, prized for its edible nuts, and revered for its longevity. This engaging book tells the full and fascinating story of a tree that people saved from extinction - a story that offers hope for other botanical biographies that are still being written. Inspired by the historic ginkgo that has thrived in London's Kew Gardens since the 1760s, renowned botanist Peter Crane explores the evolutionary history of the species from its mysterious origin through its proliferation, drastic decline, and ultimate resurgence. Crane also highlights the cultural and social significance of the ginkgo: its medicinal and nutritional uses, its power as a source of artistic and religious inspiration, and its importance as one of the world's most popular street trees. Readers of this extraordinarily interesting book will be drawn to the nearest ginkgo, where they can experience firsthand the timeless beauty of the oldest tree on Earth.

克兰编*的《银杏--被时间遗忘的树种(精)》虽侧重植物学史，但资料翔实、考据严密、格物细致、内容丰富，融自然、人文、宗教、食药、观赏等各个方面于一体。从银杏的古植物学考据到食用和药用的实例，从生物学特征到历史文化内涵，作者将丰富的历史人物与精彩的传奇故事穿插于学术论述之中，以优美流畅的文字和相得益彰的图片，凸显了自然历史与人类活动的密切交织。全书富有诗情画意，引人人胜，深入浅出，可读性强，可谓植物传记的典范。