Why Do Ginkgo Tree Berries Stink?为什么银杏果是臭的?

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As late autumn approaches， it’s time to enjoy the golden ginkgo trees. But just as you go closer to take a photo， a very pungent smell hits your nose. Why are ginkgos so smelly？

Ginkgo trees can be either male or female. The female trees produce fruit while the male trees don’t.

The small “fruit” is ginkgo seeds， which have several layers. The fresh outer layer has butyric acid， the main source of the smell. When the fruit decays， the smell becomes stronger， which tends to keep animals away from eating the seeds. What a great way for the tree to protect its seeds！

Also， some animals interested in the smell may take the seeds away， enabling the seeds to grow in a space elsewhere.

Clearly， ginkgo trees fail to keep humans away since the fruit often appears in dishes， especially in Asian countries.

However， the seeds can be toxic. It’s advised that only a few cooked seeds should be eaten at a time.

随着深秋临近，又到了欣赏金色银杏叶的季节。（剩余364字）