VARIETIES OF TAXUS BACCATA. 127 



var. brevifolia 



A shrub or low tree of irregular outline. Branchlets numerous and 

 unevenly disposed. Leaves scattered or sub-spirally arranged on the erect 

 shoots, pseudo-distichous on the lateral spreading ones, 0'3 - 75 inch 

 long, dark green above, much paler below. 



T. baccata brevifolia, supra. T. brevifolia, Hort. not Nuttall. 



var. heshunt ensis. 



A seedling from the Irish Yew and intermediate between it and the 

 common form both in habit and foliage. Branches erect or ascending. 

 Leaves close-set, spreading on all sides from their axis, mucronate, dark 

 green above, glaucescent below. 



T. baccata Cheshuntensis, Gordon, Pinet. ed. II. 389. 



var. Dovastonii. 



A low tree with long spreading branches and lax pendulous branchlets 

 clothed with leaves somewhat longer than those of the common form, 

 deeper in colour and frequently falcately curved. 



T. baccata Dovastonii, London, Arb. et Frnt. Brit. IV. 2082, with fig. West- 

 feltoii Yew. 



var. ericoides. 



A dwarf shrub with close-set slender branches and short erect branchlets. 

 Leaves much smaller than in the common form and more pointed at the 

 tip, heath-like and crowded. 



T. baccata ericoides, Carriere, Traite Conif. ed. II. 736. T. ericoides, Hort. 

 T. epacrioides, Hort. 



var. fastigiata. 



The most distinct of all the abnormal forms of the common Yew. 

 Habit strictly fastigiate. Branches stout, erect and closely appressed; 

 branchlets mostly short and erect like their primaries. Leaves sub-spirally 

 arranged around their axis and spreading from all sides of it, dark lustrous 

 green. fastigiata argentea has the tips of many of the branchlets 

 cream-white ; fastigiata aurea has the young growths golden yellow. 



T. baccata fastigiata, London, Arb. et Frnt. Brit. IV. 2086, with tigs. T. 

 fastigiata, Hort. T. hibernica, Hort. Irish Yew, Florence Court Yew. 



var. f ructu-luteo. 



Differs from the common Yew in the aril of the fruits being yellow 

 instead of red. Habit spreading. Leaves somewhat shorter and paler 

 in colour than in the common form, and occasionally recurved. 



T. baccata frnctu-lnteo, London, Arb. et Frnt. Brit. IV. 2068. Yellow-berried 

 Yew.* 



var. glauca. 



A vigorous-growing much-branched shrub resembling in habit var. 

 Chethuntemis but of larger dimensions. Leaves longer and narrower 

 than in the common Yew, which on the lateral branchlets are often 



* The yellow-berried Yew is of Irish origin. It appears to have been discovered about 

 the year 1817 growing on the lands of the Bishop of Kildare, near Glasnevin ; but it 

 seems to have been neglected till 1833 when it was noticed in the grounds of Clontarf 

 -Castle, whence cuttings were distributed. London, loc. cit. 



