G. bi - what?

In the biological classification system known as 'bi-nomial nomenclature', devised by Carl Linnaeus in the 18th century, G. biloba is the Latin name for the Ginkgo tree. The tree's distinct two-lobed leaves (hence, bi-loba) are the same today as they are found in fossils identified as far back as the Mesozoic Era, give or take a millennium.

Long thought extinct, living trees were first discovered in mountainous regions of China. The Ginkgo tree has become important in urban environments due to its shallow root system and tolerance to pollutants.