Cephalotaxus wilsoniana

Hayata 1914

Common names

台湾粗榧 tai wan cu fei [Chinese] (Fu et al. 1999), Taiwan plum yew; Taiwan cow's-tail pine (Liu 1970).

Taxonomic notes

Syn.: C. harringtonia var. wilsoniana (Hayata) Kitam. 1974; C. sinensis var. wilsoniana (Hayata) Fu & Li 1997 (Farjon 1998).

Description

Trees to 9 m with pendant branches (Tripp 1995). "Leaves linear, slightly falcate, spreading in 2 ranks, 3-4 cm. long, 2.5-3.0 cm. wide, apex acute, base narrowed, dark green above, with two grayish white stomatic bands beneath. Seeds drupe-like, ovoid to obovoid, about 2.5 cm. long, becoming dark purple at maturity, ripening in September. Trunk bark dull reddish brown, thinly flaky, flakes about 0.4 mm. in thickness; lenticels inconspicuous; outer bark 1-1.5 mm. thick, fibrous, with grayish brown and somewhat tiered cross-sections; newly formed periderm deep purplish red, phelloderm almost inconspicuous; inner bark 3-4 mm. in thickness, fibrous, more or less tiered; cambium and newly formed phloem indistinct. Freshly cut sapwood pale yellowish orange, wood rays inconspicuous" (Liu 1970). Differs from C. sinensis in that at least some leaves are tapered from a point above middle of blade but well below the apex, the leaves being ca. 10 × as long as wide (Fu et al. 1999).

Range

Taiwan, widely but sparsely distributed in mid-elevation woodlands. E.g. Miaoli Xian: Taian Hsiang: Kuanwu, by guesthouse of the Taiwan Forestry Bureau. Elevation: 2000 m. Plants in cultivation in the garden, originated locally. Taichung Xian: Hoping Xiang: Lishan. Elevation: 3000 m. Open roadside. Tree ca. 3 m tall. Hualien Xian: Xiulin Xiang: en route from Wuchiapengshan to Chilai. Broadleaf forest to mixed broadleaf and coniferous forest. 121°20'E, 24°01'N. Elevation: 2000-2100 m. On exposed slope below trail; only one tree, maybe cultivated. Tree ca. 3 m tall; fruits bluish green. Nantou Xian: Jenai Hsiang: Meifeng. Elevation: 2200 m Miaoli Xian: en route from Kuanwu to Leshan. Elevation: 2000-2200 m (HAST Database). Probably USDA Zone 8, but not grown in the U.S. (Tripp 1995).

Big tree

Oldest

Dendrochronology

Ethnobotany

Observations

Remarks

Citations

See also