THE FETID YEW. 309 



a horizontal direction, with distichous foliage like that of the species, 

 while the upright branches have scattered foliage like that of the Irish 

 Yew. 



III.— TORRE YA (Arnott). The Fetid Yew. 

 Torreya is a genus of evergreen trees including three or four 

 species, each of which is restricted to a locality of limited extent, 

 in countries widely remote from each other. The Torreyas possess 

 the following essential characters : — 



Branches spreading, the primaries frequently in whorls ; 

 branchlets produced laterally only, and opposite, or nearly so ; 

 leaves larger and longer than those of the common Yew, 

 distichously arranged in single rows, coriaceous, very rigid and 

 sharply pointed; flowers dioecious; fruit, a single seed enclosed in 

 a fibrous fleshy envelope, of a greenish-brown colour when ripe. 

 The young foliage, when bruised, emits a disagreeable rue-like 

 odour, whence, in America, the Torreyas are called the fetid Yews. 

 The wood, although hard and probably very durable, is not applied 

 to any economic purpose ; the trees of each species are compara- 

 tively few in number, a significant fact in their present history. 



The Torreyas do not thrive well in Great Britain. In some places 

 they are growing into moderate-sized bushes, but more frequently their 

 growth is very slow ; the habit they assume possesses little that is. 

 attractive, and is quite different from the handsome trees they become 

 in their native countries.* 



In their scientific aspect the Torreyas possess a deep interest. Their 

 distribution shows that they form part of the arborescent vegetation of 

 those regions in which the Californian Sequoias and their nearest 

 relatives, the Deciduous Cypress and the Chinese "Water Pine, are promi- 

 nent members, for where the one occurs the other is present. The 

 Torreyas, doubtless, attained their greatest developement during the same 

 geological epoch as that in which their gigantic neighbours flourished. 

 The race appears to be doomed, although the species may be preserved 

 indefinitely by the hand of man. Dr. Asa Gray, pointing out the 

 peculiarities in the geographical distribution, and the natural causes 

 that are at work to produce the gradual extinction of the great trees, 

 thus refers to the Torreyas. t "There is another set of three or 

 four peculiar trees, in this case of the Yew family, which has the 



* M. Camera is of opinion that this is owing to the plants having been raised from cuttings 

 instead of from seed. Tr. Gen. de Conif&res, pp. 725, 726, 

 t See page 208. 



