TAXODIUM 



TAXUS 



3315 



branchlets with typical foliage, those of the longer 

 branches gradually passing toward the end into small, 

 scale-like, imbricate Ivs. 



mucronatum, Ten. (T. mexicanum, Carr. T. dis- 

 tichum var. mexicanum, Gord. T. distichum var. mucro- 

 natum, Henry)- MOXTEZUMA CYPRESS. Similar to the 

 preceding species: taller evergreen tree, occasionally 

 170 ft. high with a trunk 20 ft. or more in diam.: Ivs. 

 shorter, obtusish and mucronulate, falling with the 

 branchlet the second year: staminate fls. and cones 

 larger. Mex. G.F. 3:155. G.C. III. 12:647. Some- 

 times planted in S. Calif. 



T. heterophyUum, Brongn. (Glyptostrobus heterophyllus, Endl. ). 

 Shrub, 10 ft. high: lower branches pendulous: Ivs. linear and scale- 

 like on the same plant: cones ovoid, Jiin. long. China. Tender and 

 rarely cult. Often confounded with varieties of T. distichum. 



ALFRED REHDER. 



TAXUS (ancient Latin name of the yew). Taxaceae, 

 formerly named in the Coniferae. YEW. Ornamental 

 woody plants, grown for their dark green foliage and the 

 scarlet berry-like fruits. 



Evergreen trees or shrubs: Ivs. linear, without resin- 

 ducts, pale or yellowish green beneath, usually 2- 

 ranked: fls. usually dioecious, solitary and axillary, 

 rarely terminal, small, appearing in early spring; 

 staminate globose, composed of 4-8 stamens each, 

 with 3-S anther-cells attached to the peltate connective; 

 pistillate consisting of a single terminal ovule with 

 several bracts at the base: seed a bonv nut surrounded 



shade well. Large plants may be successfully trans- 

 planted if it is possible to secure a sufficient ball of 

 earth with the roots. Propagation is by seeds, which do 

 not germinate until the second year, and by cuttings 

 taken early in autumn and kept during the winter in a 

 cool greenhouse or frame; the varieties also often by 

 grafting on the type in early spring in the greenhouse, 

 or sometimes by layers. Plants raised from cuttings 

 grow more slowly than grafted ones and cuttings of the 

 tvpe rarely grow into trees but usually into low-spread- 

 ing shrubs (see M.D.G. 1898:565). 



baccata, Linn. Fig. 3780. Tree, attaining 60 ft,, with 

 a usuallj" short trunk, occasionally 8 ft. or more in 

 diam.: bark reddish, flaky, deeply fissured in old 

 trees: branches spreading, forming a broad, low head; 

 branchlets somewhat pendulous: Ivs. 2-ranked, linear 

 and usually falcate, shortly acuminate, with prominent 

 midrib, dark green above, pale beneath, %-!} m - ^ on S 

 or shorter in some varieties: fr. ^-Kin- across, with 

 almost globose disk, about a third longer than the 

 broadly ellipsoid brown seed J4 m - long. Eu. and 

 N. Afr. to Himalayas. G.C. II. 23:309; 111.29:262. 

 Gn. 27, p. 578; 35, pp. 36, 37. G.F. 9:265. F.S.R. 

 3, p. 59. G.W. 10, p. 249; 11, p. 304; 13, pp. 67, 

 175. Gng. 1:309. Many garden forms have origi- 

 nated in cult.; the following are the most impor- 

 tant: Var. adpressa, Carr. (T. parvifolia, Wender. 

 T. brevifolia, Hort., not Xutt. T. tardiva, Laws. T. 

 baccata tardiva, Pilger). Shrub or low tree of irregu- 



3781. Spray of Taxus canadensis. 



or almost inclosed by a fleshy cup-shaped scarlet disk; 

 cotyledons 2. Six species are known. They are distrib- 

 uted throughout the northern hemisphere and in Amer. 

 south to Mex. They are all very closely allied and have 

 been considered geographical varieties of a single 

 species. The wood is heavy, hard, close-grained, strong, 

 elastic, and of reddish color. It is highly valued for 

 cabinet-making and turning, and before the invention 

 of gunpowder was in great request in England for the 

 manufacture of bows. The foliage is poisonous to horses 

 and cattle, but the berries are not. 



The yews are evergreen, usually small slow-growing 

 trees or shrubs, with 2-ranked linear dark green leaves, 

 insignificant flowers and showy berry-like red fruits. 

 The best-known species is T. baccata, which is hardy as 

 far north as Rhode Island and northwestern New York, 

 and in some forms as far as Massachusetts, while T. 

 cuspidala and T. canadensis are considerably hardier 

 and thrive as far north as Canada; the other species are 

 little known in cultivation. The yews are very desira- 

 ble- evergreens for park planting: they are densely 

 clothed with dark green foliage and the pistillate plants 

 are particularly beautiful in autumn when loaded with 

 scarlet fruits. They are well suited for hedges and easily 

 trimmed into any desired shape. They were formerly 

 much used for fantastic topiarv work (see e. g., G.C. II. 

 2:264, 265). 



That the typical tree-like form of the yew is nowa- 

 days not much planted is chiefly due to its slow growth, 

 but the numerous mostly shrubby garden forms are 

 popular plants for small gardens. The yews thrive 

 best in a moderately moist sandy loam and endure 



210 



lar habit, with long spreading branches: Ivs. oblong, 

 obtusish, mucronulate, ^}-J^in. long: disk of fr. shorter 

 than the seed. R.H. 1886, p. 104. Gn. 35, p. 37. Very dis- 

 tinct form. Var. adpressa erecta, Nichols, (var. adpressa 

 stricta, Beissn.), has the foliage of the preceding, but 

 erect branches forming a columnar bush. Var. aurea, 

 Carr. (var. elra-stonensis aurea, Beissn.). Lvs. golden 

 yellow, more brightly colored at the tips and margin. 

 This form has proved hardier than the type in New 

 England. F.E. 20:703. Var. argentea, Loud. (var. ele- 

 gantissima, Hort.). Lvs. striped straw-yellow or some- 

 times whitish. Var. Dovastonii, Loud. Branches wide- 

 spreading, nodding at the tips: Ivs. dull green, short and 

 abruptly mucronulate. G. 3:89. A very handsome 

 form. Yar. Dovastonii aureo-variegata, Beissn., is a 

 form with the Ivs. variegated with yellow. Var. erecta, 

 Loud. (var. stricta, Hort.). Bushy form, with slender, 

 upright branches and branchlets: Ivs. narrower and 

 smaller than in the type. Var. ericoides, Carr. (var. 

 microphi'/lla, Hort.). Dwarf form, with slender branches 

 and small and very narrow, pointed leaves. Var. f asti- 

 giata, Loud. (T. hibernica, Hort.). Strictly fastigiate 

 form, with stout crowded upright branches and 

 branchlets: Ivs. spirally arranged around the branches, 

 dark glossy green. Gn. 35, p. 36; 40, p. 62. R.H. 

 1886:105. G. 2:85. F.E. 18:397; 33:315. G.W. 1, p. 

 349; 8, p. 301; 10, p. 393. One of the most desirable 

 evergreens of columnar habit for formal gardens. Var. 

 fastigiata variegata, Carr. Less vigorous and more 

 tender: Ivs. marked yellowish white. Var. fastigiata 

 aurea, Standish. Young growth golden yellow. Var. 

 Fisheri, Hort. Some of the Ivs. deep yellow, others 



