253 TAXUS BACCATA 



shoots with impunity, but that when these have been cut off, and 

 left upon the ground for a short time, they are then poisonous. 

 This is, however, an entirely erroneous notion, for yew shoots and 

 leaves are poisonous both in a dried and fresh state. It seems 

 certain, however, that the red succulent cup of the fruit is 

 harmless, for a fatal case of poisoning has been recorded of a child 

 from swallowing the entire fruit with its contained seed ; whilst 

 other children who had partaken of the fruit at the same time, 

 but who had rejected all but the fleshy cup, suffered no ill effects. 



Per. Mat. Med., vol. ii, pt. 1, p. 334; Lind., Flora Medica, p. 558; 

 Bentl., Man. Bob., p. 646 ; Miller, Gard. Diet., vol. ii, pt. 2nd ; 

 Watts, Diet. Chem., vol. v, p. 702; Lancet, Oct. 17, 1868, 

 p. 530 ; Pharm. Journ., vol. i, 2nd ser., p. 294, and vol. vi, p. 489. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE. 



Drawn from trees in Kew Gardens ; the female flower copied from Nees. 



1. Twig of male plant with catkins. 



2. A catkin. 



3. Vertical section of the same. 



4. The same after the pollen is shed. 



5. The connective. 



6. An anther. 



7. Small branch of female tree with fruit. 



8. A female inflorescence. 



9. The ovule. 



10. Section of the same. 



11. Half ripe fruit. 



12. Ripe fruit. 



13. Same with half the " aril " removed. 



14. Section of seed. 



15. Insertion of the leaves. 



(2-6, 8-10, 14, 15 enlarged.) 



