328 MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



a l^rge forest tree of the Pacific coast and the Rocky Mountains; the Sandarac 

 tree (Callistris quadrivalvis) , which furnishes not only the sandarac gum used 

 in making varnish, but also a dark-colored, fragrant wood capable of high 

 polish and used in ornamental work; the Arbor Vitae, or White Cedar {Thuja 

 occidentalis), which contains fenshoe, thujonc, thiijin, and the bitter glucosidc 

 pinicrln, its leaves being irritating to the skin, sometimes producing blisters; 

 the Norway spruce (Picea cxcelsa), which contains resins and volatile oils and 

 is the source of Burgundy pitch; the Black Spruce (P. mariana), from the 

 young branches of which an essence is prepared that is used in the preparation 

 of spruce beer; the White Spruce (P. canadensis), which, with the preceding 

 species furnishes much of the wood pulp used in the manufacture of paper; 

 and the Pines. 



Taxtis. (Tourn.) L. Yew 



Flowers generally dioecious or occasionally monoecious, axillary from 

 scaly buds; sessile or nearly sessile, from small staminate catkins of a few 

 scaly bracts ; 5-8 stamens ; anthers 4-celled ; fertile flowers solitary, erect, sub- 

 tended by a fleshy cup-shaped disk; fruit consisting of a fleshy disk which be- 

 comes cup-shaped and red and encloses the bony seed. 



Distribution. About 6 species native of the north temperate regions. One 

 upon the Pacific coast, Taxus brevifolia, is a tree. The European Yew (Taxtis 

 baccata), a well known poisonous plant, is frequently used for ornamental pur- 

 poses in this country. 



Taxus canadensis. Willd. American Yew 



A low shrub, straggling over bushes, with linear leaves, green on both sides. 



Distribution. In the woods from Newfoundland to New Jersey and Vir- 

 ginia, west to Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. 



Poisonous properties. One species is known to contain the alkaloid taxin, 

 Cg^Hg^NO^^. Dr. Johnson says, concerning the poisonous properties of the 

 American Yew : 



This plant, a variety, only, of the European yew, cannot be said to have, as yet, 

 a place among medicines. It is believed, however, to possess poisonous properties, and 

 is perhaps worthy of investigation. Regarding the poisonous properties of the berries, 

 the author can state that he has eaten them without deleterious effect, but whether because 

 the quantity was insufficient or not, is an open question. Cases of fatal poisoning from 

 eating the berries of the European yew arc on record, and therefore our variety is cer- 

 tainly open to suspicion. 



Chesnut refers to the poisonous nature of the yew as follows : 



The common yew, or ground yew of the northeastern United States is called poison 

 hemlock in some places. The leaves of this shrub are probably poisonous to stock, as 

 are those of the European yew. This species is more accessible to stock than are those 

 of the western yew {Taxus brevifolia), which grows only in deep canyons. 



Dr. Otto Lehmann * in his treatise on poisonous plants, states that older 

 naturalists regarded the yew as one of the most powerful of poisonous plants. 

 Modern testimony is conflicting, but he regards the branches and leaves as 

 .Eois^onous for animals. Friedbcrgcr and Frohner give the symptoms of poison- 

 ing from yew as follows: "Death may be sudden, resembling apoplexy; it 

 may be preced'"d by staggering and convulsions; cases of long standing show 

 gastro-enteritis. Give purgatives as remedies." 

 • Giftpflanzen. 121. HamburK. 1882. 



