230 



TAXACEiE. 



[Gymnogens. 



Order LXXV. TAXACEaE.— Taxads. 



Taxiuese, Rich. Conif. 124. (1826) ; Bartl. Ord. Nat. 95. (1830); Martins Conspectus, No. 58. (1835) ; 

 EncU. Gen. Ixxviii. ; Meisner, p. 353.— Taxaceas, Ed. pr. (1836). 



Diagnosis. — Gi/mnogem loitli repeatedly branched continuous stems, simple leaves often 

 forh-veined, solitary females, 2-celkd anthers opening longitudinally, and the mem- 

 braoie next the nucleus inclosed. 



Fig. CLX. 



Fig. CLIX. 

 Trees or shrubs with continuous, unartieulated branches. Wood ha-ving the ligneous 

 tissue marlvcd with circular disks. Leaves usually naiTOw, rigid, entire and veiuless, 



evergreen, alternate or distichous ; sometimes dilated 

 and lobed, and in those cases having forlced veins of 

 equal thickness. Flowers (^ $, naked, but surrounded 

 by imbi'icated bracts. $ Stamens several ; filaments 

 usually monadelphous ; anthers combined or distinct, 

 opening longitudinally. $ solitary. Ovules naked, 

 the foramen at theu" apex, theii* outer skin becoming 

 finally hard. Seed usually supported or sm'rounded 

 by a succulent imperfect cup-shaped pericarp. Albu- 

 men fleshy. Embryo straight, dicotyledonous, either 

 antitropal or orthotropal. 



Yews are separated from Conifers by their fruits 

 not being collected in cones, each ovule growing smgly, 

 unprotected by hardened scales ; so that this is a degi'ee of organization yet lower than 

 that of Conifers themselves. It is also to be observed, that m this Order the leaves do not 

 always preserve the vemless needle-shaped state of Conifers, but expand and form veins, 

 which are then forked and of uniform thickness, just as in Ferns. To me it appeal's 

 that this deviation on the part of many genera from the Coniferous form of fruit, is a 

 good practical distmction. Mr. Bennett, however, is of opinion that Taxads should 

 not form a distmct Natm-al Order, but ought to be associated with Conifers ; at least such 

 I presume to be the bearmg of his observations m Horsfield's Plantce Javanicce, p. 37. 

 In the opmion of this excellent botanist, Taxus belongs to Cupresseje, while Podocarpus 

 and Daerydium should be associated with Abietese, an opmion to which he seems to 

 be led, m part at least, by considerations connected with the pollen of those plants. 

 AV hat these peculiarities of the pollen are, is explained at p. 228. But I see no reason 

 why two kmds of pollen should not be comprehended under the Order of Taxads as 

 well as under Couifers ; and the importance of distmctions m the pollen of plants appears 

 to me to be at least very doubtful. 



Fig. CLIX.— Taxus baccata loaded with male flowers; 1. a male flower ; 2. an anther ; 3. a female 

 flower; 4. a vertical section of an o^^lle ; 5. of a ripe fruit ; 6. of a ripe seed, showins? the embryo.- 



'^' V-T^x' ^"r?^^ *^^ ^^"^^ ^^^'^ "^ y°"''^ ^^^ ^S^ ' 5- is the ripe ovule, with an accessory cup. 

 .vh5^h,j;L f •r'i?'''"I^'' section of the ripe fruit of Taxus, together with the cup-shaped pericarp, 



which rises round It after the pollen has taken effect upon the ovule. f i i i> 



