454 . Conifera Taxus. 



and elegantissima, an erect fast-growing variety beautifully 

 variegated with yellow, are the best. There is also a variety 

 which produces yellow berries. 



2. T. adpressa, syn. T. baccdta adpressa, T. tdrdiva, etc. 

 Whether this be specifically distinct or not from the Common 

 Yew, it is sufficiently different in appearance and foliage to be 

 equally if not more desirable for the shrubbery. It has short 

 oblong-oval acute crowded glossy dark green leaves and pale 

 pink berries. In habit this is very near the ordinary form of 

 the Common Yew, but it is of very slow growth and seldom 

 exceeds 5 or 6 feet in height. It is a native of the mountains 

 of Japan, and very hardy in Britain. 



T. cuspiddta is a rare Japanese species remarkable for its 

 sharply-pointed rigid leaves ; T. brevifolia, syn. T. Lindleydna, 

 is from North-western America, near the Common Yew, but 

 with shorter less coriaceous distinctly petiolate mucronate 

 leaves ; and T. Wallichidna, syn. T. nucifera, found in the 

 mountains of India, is probably a variety of the Common Yew. 



22. TOEREYA. 



Yew-like shrubs or trees with regular whorled branches and 

 distichous or scattered leaves. It differs from Tdxus chiefly in 

 the fruit, which is much larger and destitute of the succulent 

 cup that characterises the fruit of the latter genus. The 

 outer coat is fleshy, and the inner a hard woody shell enclosing 

 the usually ruminated albumen of the seed, whence the name 

 of Nutmeg applied to the Californian species. The few species 

 described are natives of China and Japan and North America. 

 Named in honour, of J. Torrey, of New York, a botanist of dis- 

 tinction. With the exception of T. grand/is they emit a very 

 powerful and unpleasant odour when bruised or burned ; hence 

 the American name, Stinking Yew. 



1. T. grdndis. A large tree with linear-lanceolate acute 

 distichous leaves from 8 to 12 lines long, dark glossy green 

 above, silvery beneath. Fruit oval ; albumen not ruminated. 

 A native of the mountains of North China, where it forms a 

 beautiful spreading tree. It appears to be very rare in British 

 gardens. 



2. T. Californica, syn. T. Myristica. Californian Nutmeg 

 Tree. A small round-headed tree with linear-acute distichous 

 shortly petiolate pale-green leaves about 2 inches long, and 

 oblong green fruits about the size of an ordinary nutmeg, and 



