CEPHALOTAXUS 



GONIFEBS 



TAXus 985 



Tribe III. — Yew Teibb (TaxetB). — Evergreen trees or shrubs, usually with 

 dioecious flowers. Male flower consists of anthers on short stalks inserted on all parts 

 of the axis. Filaments short, prolonged in a shield or scale-like connective. Female 

 flowers naked, solitary, or rarely two under each bract. Fruit more or less drupaceous, 

 always 1-seeded. This tribe and the next constitute the order Taxacb^e of some authors. 



CEPHALOTAXUS (Clustbb-flow- 

 EEED Yew). — A small genus of evergreen 

 Yew-like trees, with alternate spirally ar- 

 ranged 2-ranked spreading shortly stalked 

 linear leaves and dicEcious flowers ; male 

 flowers in catkins or heads; female flowers 

 at the tips of thebranches. Fruits Plum- 

 like, 2-3 in a head. Seeds about the size 

 and shape of a Damson, roundish, with a 

 bony or woody shell enclosed in a fleshy 

 cup. Seed-leaves two, short. 



Culture andPropagation. — The species 

 of Cephalotaxus flourish in rich loamy 

 soil, and make ornamental bushes in 

 situations sheltered from north and east 

 winds. They may be increased by seeds. 

 As they do not thoroughly ripen until the 

 second year, they should be allowed to 

 remain on the plants as long as possible 

 before picking. Cuttings of the ripened 

 shoots will also root in sandy soil if in- 

 serted in August and September in cold 

 frames or under haudlights, kept close for 

 a time, and protected from strong sun- 

 shine. 



C. drupacea (C. coriacea; O.foeminea ; 

 Podocarpus coriacea). — A beautiful Ja- 

 panese shrub 6-8 ft. high, with crowded 

 linear leaves 1-2 in. long, yellowish glossy 

 green above, glaucous beneath, and ar- 

 ranged in two opposite rows. Fruit ovoid 

 oblong, purple, aboiit 1 in. long. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. Fortunei (C filiformis ; C. mas- 

 cula; C.pendula). — A handsome Chinese 

 shrub 6-8 ft. high, with long slender 

 drooping branches and linear-pointed 

 leaves 3 in. or more long, dark green 

 above, paler beneath, and arranged in two 

 rows. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. pedunculata {Taxus Harringtonia ; 

 T. sinensis). — Lord Harrington' s Yew. — 

 A native of Japan and China 6-8 ft. high, 

 with linear leaves 1-2 in. long, bright 

 green above, marked vidth two broad 

 glaucous lines beneath, and arranged in 

 two rows. Fruit large. Plum-like, on 

 long stalks. ■ 



The variety fastigiata (Podocarpus 

 Tcoraiama; Taxus japonica) is distinct 

 and ornamental, and is readily recognised 



by its upright branches having the leaves 

 scattered or spirally arranged on them ; 

 sphcsralis is so called chiefly on account 

 of its spherical berry-like fruits. 

 Culture dc. as above. 



TAXUS (Yew). — A genus of ever- 

 green trees, rarely shrubs, with more or 

 less spirally arranged leaves often spread- 

 ing in two rows, shortly stalked, linear, 

 flat, often sickle-shaped. Flowers dire- 

 cious ; stamens in stalked heads. Fruit 

 solitary, 1-seeded, seated in a fleshy open 

 scarlet cup or ' aril.' Seeds nut-like with 

 a bony shell, the upper portion exposed. 

 Seed leaves two, flat, green. 



Culture amd Propagation. — Yews 

 flourish in almost any soU, but make the 

 finest specimens on rich loamy land. 

 They may be increased by seeds, which 

 should be sown as soon as gathered after 

 having been freed from the fleshy axil. 

 If kept over until spring they should be 

 mixed with damp sand, and turned over 

 from time to time. Cuttings of the 

 ripened shoots will root in sandy soil in 

 August and September under handglasses 

 or cold frames. The choicer varieties are 

 usually grafted on common stocks, those 

 of a weeping or drooping habit being 

 placed on tall stems. When convenient 

 the branches may also be layered during 

 the summer and autumn months. 



T. baccata (Common Yew). — A well- 

 known tree widely distributed over the 

 whole of the N. temperate hemisphere, 

 and attaining a height of 15-50 ft. in the 

 British Islands. Its spreading and more 

 or less ascending branches are furnished 

 with more or less sickle-shaped acute 

 linear leathery leaves 5— 1^ in. long, deep 

 shining green above, paler beneath. The 

 male catkins are yellow, about j in. long. 

 Fruit ^ in. long, rounded, with a red 

 mucilaginous cup or aril in autumn. 



There are several more or less distinct 

 varieties, including the following : — 



T. aS/pressa (T. tardiva; Cephalo- 

 taxus tar diva) ■■ — A dense spreading bush 

 6-8 ft. high, raised from seeds more than 

 60 years ago, and distinguished from the 

 type by its oblong oval acute crowded 

 dark glossy green leaves, glaucous beneath^ 



