LXXVI. TAXA‘CEE: TaA/XUS. 939 
covered by a crustaceous testa. Embryo in the axis of the albumen. Ra- 
dicle at the apex of the seed, having an organic connexion with the albumen. 
(G. Don.) 
Leaves simple, alternate or distichous, exstipulate, evergreen or deciduous ; 
mostly linear. — Trees or shrubs; natives of Europe, Asia, and North 
America, 
The genera are three, which are thus characterised : — 
Ta’xus. Diccious. Anthers of 4—6'cells. Nut, or seed, surrounded by a 
fleshy cupular disk. 
Torre'y4. Diecious. Anther 8-celled. Seed not surrounded by a fleshy 
disk, but by scales. 
Satispu'rr4. Dicecious. Anthers 2-celled. Seed, or nut, covered by the fleshy 
persistent disk. 
Genus I. 
all. 
TA'XUS L,. Tue Yew. Lin. Syst. Dicecia Monadélphia. 
Identification. Lin. Gen., 532. ; Juss., 412.; FL Br., 1086.; Tourn., t.362.; Lam., t. 829. ; Gertn., 
t. 81.; N. Du Ham., 1. p. 61.; Rich. Mém. Conif., p. 131. t. 2. 
Derivation. From toron, a bow ; being formerly much used in making them: or from ¢azis, ar- 
rangement; from the leaves being arranged on the branches like the teeth of a comb: or from 
toxicum, poison ; though Pliny says that poison (torécwm) was so named ‘from this tree, which was 
considered poisonous. The derivation of the term Yew is supposed to be from the Celtic word 
zw, sometimes pronounced 7f, and signifying verdure; alluding to the yew being an evergreen: 
and this will also explain the French name, 7f. 
Gen. Char. Male flower consisting of anthers upon short pedicels, at the 
top of a column that has imbricate scales at the base. Anthers with 4, 5, 6, 
or rarely more, 1-celled lobes, attached to the connectivum, whose tip is a 
horizontal shield, lobed at the edge ; its lobes corresponding in number and 
place with those of the anthers, and covering them; the cells opening 
longitudinally. —Female flower an erect ovule, perfect at the tip; with 
an unobvious annular disk at its base; and, exterior to this, investing 
imbricate scales. Fruit the disk at the base of the ovule, which becomes 
a fleshy open cup. Seed like a nut. 
Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, evergreen ; linear, acute, rigid, more 
or less 2-rowed in direction. Flowers whitish. Fruit red, pulpy.— Low 
trees and shrubs, evergreen ; natives of Europe, Asia, and North America. 
Propagated by seeds or layers, in common soil. 
21. 7. pacca‘ta L. The berried, or common, Yew. 
Identification. Lin. Sp. Pl., 1472.; Eng. Bot., t.'746. ; 
nee Taxus, No. 1663., Hall. Hist. 2. p. 322.3; If, Fr. ; Ifent Thenb or Eihent 
Ger.; Taxo, Ital.; Texo, Span. ; 
The Sexes. The yew being almost always raised from seed, the male and female plants may be sup- 
posed to be nearly equally distributed, both in natural woods and in artificial plantations. Both 
sexes are sometimes found on the same tree. As far as we have been able to observe, says White 
of Selborne, the male tree becomes much larger than the female one. : . ; 
Engravings. Eng. Bot., t. 746. ; N. Du Ham., 1. t.19.; the plates of this tree in Arb. Brit., let 
edit., vol. viii. ; and our fig. 1752. 
.. Spec. Char., §c. Leaves 2-ranked, crowded, linear, flat. Receptacle of the 
barren flowers: globular. (Smith.) An evergreen tree. Europe gene- 
rally ; in loamy soils and shady situations. Height 20 ft. to 36tt., rarely 
40 ft Flowers white ; March and April. Fruit red; ripe in September. 
Varieties. ne : iach 
¢ T. b. 2 fastigidta, T. fastigiata Lindl.; T.hibérnica Hook., Lodd. 
Cat. ed. 1836; (the plate of this tree in Ard, Brit., 1st edit., vol. 
viii. ; and our fig. 1751.) the upright, or Florence Court, Yew; the 
Irish Yew. Discovered wild at the former place about 1780,— 
This is a very distinct variety, readily distinguished from the species 
