TAXACE^E YEW FAMILY 



AMERICAN YEW. GROUND HEMLOCK 



Tdxus canactinsis. 



Taxus, said to be derived from taxon, the Greek word 

 for bow ; on account of the use made of the wood of the 

 European species. 



Low, straggling, evergreen bush, one to four feet high, with 

 wide-spreading branches, common in northern woods, often 

 covering large areas of low, moist, shaded land. Ranges from 

 Newfoundland to Lake Winnipeg and southward to Virginia and 

 Iowa. 



Leaves. Evergreen, alternate, linear, sharp-pointed ; dis- 

 posed in asubspiral and appearing two-ranked by the twisting of 

 the short compressed petioles. Dark green above, somewhat 

 paler beneath. 



Flowers. Dioecious or monoecious, solitary, axillary. Stami- 

 nate-flowers have four to eight stamens collected into a globular 

 head. Pistillate flower consists of an erect ovule on a ring-like 

 disk, which enlarges as the fruit matures and becomes a bright 

 red fleshy cup, and nearly encloses the ripe seed. 



Fruit. Nut-like seed ; nearly enclosed in a red, pulpy, berry- 

 like cup. 



In various parts of the western counties of Massachusetts occurs a hum- 

 ble, almost prostrate evergreen, conspicuous for the rich and deep green of 

 its foliage. It is the American Yew. 



GEORGE H. EMERSON. 



The Yew at first sight looks like a seedling hemlock 

 that perhaps has not fared quite well, and is inclined to 



'.493 



