Taxus L.

Evergreen trees or (prostrate) shrubs. Bark thin, smooth, purple-red, peeling in large thin flakes. Leaves spirally placed (but usually twisted into a single plane), linear to linear-lanceolate, acute, distinctly constricted at the base where the leaf twists into a horizontal position and then widening again in the decur-rent part, penetrated by a single vascular strand marked on the lower surface by a blunt ridge which separates two bands of stomata and on the upper stoma-ta-free surface by a sharp narrow ridge. Foliage and fertile buds small and globular, formed by several small keeled overlapping scales, the lower ones of which remain small while the higher ones expand with growth to become round and membranous. Usually dioecious. The fertile structures produced in the axils of ordinary leaves. Pollen cone solitary above a basal cluster of sterile scales, each peltate microsporophyll with a symmetrical whorl of 6-8 inverted pollen sacs, one microsporophyll in a terminal position and up to a dozen spirally placed lateral microsporophylls. Seed-bearing structure compound with one or more short ovule-bearing shoots produced subterminally on a very short fertile axis covered by minute keeled spirally arranged scales, each fertile shoot consisting of several decussate pairs of keeled scales which expand as the seed matures into a broad membranous oval shape and together cover the base of the ripened fruit. A small basal aril gradually grows to cup the single erect terminal seed, finally becoming fleshy and bright red. Mature seed flask-shaped, slightly wider than thick with the wider margin slightly keeled.

Understory or canopy plants of moist temperate or tropical mountain forest. From near sea-level in their northernmost occurrence in Norway they reach to nearly 3000 m in subtropical and tropical mountains and do not go below 1200 m in tropical latitudes. As an undershrub they can be locally quite common, but the trees in this genus rarely take a dominant canopy role. Growth is generally quite slow but dense and specimens are often prized as ornamentals. Even the forms which are capable of becoming immense trees usually appear as shrubs or at best as small trees when under cultivation.Pollination is strictly by wind dispersal. Fruits are taken by birds and probably other animals. The seeds are bitter and poisonous when broken into, so that the seeds are normally ingested intact and efficiently dispersed in animal droppings. Seeds germinate readily in moist shady places.Seedling foliage is essentially similar to that of the adult. Vigorous young plants tend to have leaves larger than those of fully mature specimens, up to two and three times as large and sometimes more lanceolate and falcate.

Uses. The tough, dense wood has excellent qualities and has been in demand for many uses. Best known is its service for bows and decorative woodwork such as chests and coffins. It is also desirable for fence posts, flooring, and mallots. The well-marked reddish brown heartwood contrasts pleasingly with the pale yellowish sapwood.