540 LXXVI. CONIFERiE. [Taxus. 



decurrent along the branch with two raised lines. Male flowers yeUow. 

 Fruit a red ovoid berry, somewhat more than J in. long, open at the 

 mouth, so that the top of the dark oHve-green seed appears. 



Kafiristan, south side of the Safedkoh. Himalaya from the Indus to Bhutan, 

 abundant in places, but very locial. Not uncommon in Hazara, common in the 

 dense forests of A. Webbiana, A. Smithiana, Acer, Pavia, Juglans, on the upper 

 part of the northern slopes of the range stretching from the Shall to Narkanda, 

 also on the sides of Hattu, both north and south, in the Balsan forests east of 

 the Giri, opposite to Imbri, and in many other places between Sutlej and Ganges. 

 In Kunawar it is found, here and there, above 9000 ft. — e. g., above the Nacnar 

 forest, and in the Baspa vaUey. In Gaxhwal and Kamaon it is generally found 

 between 6000 and 8500 ft., ascending to 11,200 ft. at Kedamath. It grows in 

 Sikkim, on the outer ranges at 9500 to 10,000 ft., in the inner ranges descending 

 to 7000 ft. in Bhutan and on the Kasia hills (at 5000 ft.), and has been found 

 in upper Burma. As defined by Parlatore, this species extends throughout 

 Europe, North Africa, and is found on the mountains of Asia Minor, Armenia, 

 and on the Caucasus ; he enumerates 5 species besides, two from Japan and 

 three from North America, which Hooker regards as all forms of the same species. 

 In Central and North Europe the Yew is indigenous both in the plains and 

 on the mountains, but in the Mediterranean region it is only found at a con- 

 siderable elevation. In some regions of the Himalaya its lower limit is hot 

 exactly known ; it does not extend into the inner arid zone. It is certain that 

 the Yew was more common formerly in many forests of Central Europe than 

 it is at present ; the young plant requires shelter, and, like the Holly, thrives 

 in deep shade. Any system of forest management, therefore, which requires 

 entire or partial clearances, impedes its growth and prevents reproduction by 

 self-sown seedlings. In the Himalaya the Yew clothes itself with young bril- 

 liant green shoots in April and May, and the flowers open between March and 

 May. In Europe it flowers, according to latitude and elevation, between March 

 and May, and the young shoots generally appear a week after flowering (WiU- 

 komm, Forstl. Fl. 223). The fruit ripens (in India and Europe) from Sept. to 

 Nov. of the year of flowering. 



In the Himalaya the Yew attains a considerable size ; Madden records a tree 

 at Gangutri 100 ft. high and 15 ft. girth. In the Panjab Himalaya the com- 

 mon size is 5-6 ft. girth ; in Hazara 8-9 ft. is not uncommon. In Europe the 

 largest and oldest Yew-trees are recorded in Britain ; specimens 10 ft. diam. 

 and 30 ft. girth are not rare in England and Scotland, and some are on rgcord 

 with a diam. of 15-20 ft. The growth of the tree is slow ; and there is no doubt, 

 from an examination of the annual rings and from historical records, that some 

 of the Yew-trees now in existence in England are considerably more than 1000 

 years old. The bark is thin, brownish-grey, hard and smooth, cleft longitud- 

 inally and peeling off ; inner substance fibrous. The growth is very slow, 20- 

 32 rings per in. of radius are recorded from the Himalaya, and this accords 

 with the experience of the growth of the tree in Europe. Sapwood whitish, 

 the heartwood is reddish-brown, compact, hard and heavy, 46-59 lb. per cub. 

 ft. It is strong and elastic, and takes a beantiftil polish. In Europe it is 

 .used for aU kinds of turnery, for carving, and other purposes which require 

 a firm and elastic wood. Whip-handles are made of the branches, and from 

 time immemorial it has been the principal wood used for bows. The Indian 

 wood, as far as known, has the same qualities as that of the European tree ; 

 bows, carrying-poles, and native furniture axe made of it, but it might be more 

 extensively used. The tree is held in great veneration in some parts of the 

 N.W. Himalaya, it sometimes is called Beoda/r (God's tree) ; the wood is burnt 

 for incense, branches are carried in religious processions in Kamaon, and in 



