Skip to main content

Pseudotaxus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Gymnospermae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Cupressales
Family: Taxaceae
Genus: Pseudotaxus
W.C.Cheng
Species:
P. chienii
Binomial name
Pseudotaxus chienii
(W.C.Cheng) W.C.Cheng

Pseudotaxus chienii, the whiteberry yew[1] (Chinese: 白豆杉; pinyin: báidòushān; lit. 'white bean conifer'), is a species of plant in the yew family, Taxaceae. It is the sole species in the genus Pseudotaxus, but closely related to the other yews in the genus Taxus. It is endemic to southern China, occurring in northern Guangdong, northern Guangxi, Hunan, Southwest Jiangxi and southern Zhejiang.

Like other yews, it is a small coniferous shrub or small tree, reaching 2–5 m tall with reddish bark. The leaves are lanceolate, flat, 1–2.6 cm long and 2–3 mm broad, dark green above, with two white stomatal bands below; they are arranged spirally on the stem, but with the leaf bases twisted to align the leaves in two flat rows either side of the stem. The conspicuous white stomatal bands on the harder, stiffer (less soft) leaves readily distinguish it from the yews in the genus Taxus.

It is dioecious, with the male and female cones on different trees. The female (seed) cones are very similar to those of Taxus species, but the aril is white when mature, not red; they are 5–7 mm long and wide. The male (pollen) cones are globose, 3–4 mm diameter.

It is grown as an ornamental plant in southern China and occasionally elsewhere.

References

  1. ^ a b Thomas, P. & Yang, Y. 2013. Pseudotaxus chienii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.2. Downloaded on 04 September 2015.

External links

One Comment

  • Hey There!!
    Ya know how ya always wonder if those awesome recommendations you see on some websites might be written by the owners?
    Well… This is one of those. Let me put your mind at ease and I’ll just come out and say it. Our products our awesome!!!
    I hope everyone else feels the same way and posts their comments here 🙂

    Enjoy every precious moment

    Joe Zia