Biloba

Biloba is a Latin epithet used in biological nomenclature to denote two lobes. The term is commonly encountered in scientific names to indicate a two-lobed leaf or other two-lobed structures embedded in a species description. It is not a genus or common name by itself.

In taxonomy, biloba appears as part of binomial names across various genera. The epithet signals a morphological characteristic—typically two lobes or a two-lobed form—within the organism described. Because it describes a feature rather than taxonomic relationships, many different groups may bear the epithet in their scientific names.

The most familiar use of biloba is in Ginkgo biloba, the maidenhair tree. Ginkgo biloba is a deciduous gymnosperm native to China and now cultivated worldwide for ornamental purposes. The species is notable for its fan-shaped leaves with distinctive venation and for its status as a living representative of an ancient evolutionary lineage. Ginkgo biloba has also been studied for traditional and contemporary用途 related to health and medicine, though scientific findings on efficacy and safety are varied and context-dependent.

Outside of Ginkgo biloba, biloba appears in other species names where two-lobed morphology is relevant. In anatomy and botany, the term serves as a descriptive descriptor rather than a taxonomic category, useful for indicating two-lobed structures or forms in leaves, organs, or fossil taxa.