CHAPTER II 



Geographical distribution — Indigenous — Geological remains — 

 Sparse distribution in England — Reasons for this. 



The yew has, according to Nyman,^ a wide dis- 

 tribution throughout Europe, being found in 

 Switzerland, Austria, Germany (Vosges, Jura, 

 etc.), Holland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Britain, 

 France (Alps and Pyrenees), Spain (Pyrenees. 

 Asturia, Grenada, Valencia), Portugal, Italy (Alps, 

 Apennines), Sicily, Dalmatia, Croatia, Hungary, 

 Transylvania, Caucasus, Greece, Russia. The tree 

 is rare in Greece, though it is mentioned in the 

 Flora GrcBca, on the authority of Mr. Hawkins, as 

 being found on the rocks of Mount Cyllene in La- 

 conia,^ and by Theophrastus under the name MtA.09, 

 as occurring in Macedonia. It must have been 

 very plentiful at one time both in Germany and 

 France, for Caesar says : ' Magna in Gallia, Ger- 

 maniaque copia est ; ' but nowadays it is seldom 

 seen in either country, except in the mountain 

 districts. Mathieu^ on this account was led to 

 regard it as a species in its decadence, of which, 



1 Sylloge Florce Eut'opea, p. 348. - Daubeny, p. 43. 



' A. Mathieu, conservateur des Forets, Flore Foresticre, p. 444. 



