A beautiful Ginkgo stands near the dawn redwood in front of Richardson Memorial Hall. The Ginkgo, or maidenhair tree, is another of what is called a "living fossil." The early European plant explorers brought these species back from Chinese and Japanese temple gardens, and these trees have never been positively identified growing in the wild. Since this species has no living relatives, it was perhaps preserved for centuries through cultivation. The recognizable, fan-shaped leaves are among very few in New Orleans that turn a brilliant yellow in the fall. Architecture students in Richardson Memorial Hall savor the change of color, which happens quickly before the leaves fall.