Cephalotaxus harringtonii

Last updated

Cephalotaxus harringtonii
Cephalotaxus harringtonia BotGardBln1105WithSeeds.JPG
Close-up of a specimen in the Botanical Garden in Berlin
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Gymnospermae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Cupressales
Family: Taxaceae
Genus: Cephalotaxus
Species:
C. harringtonii
Binomial name
Cephalotaxus harringtonii
(Forbes) K. Koch
Synonyms
List
  • Cephalotaxus drupacea var. harringtonia(Knight ex J.Forbes) Pilg.
  • Taxus harringtoniaKnight ex J.Forbes
  • Cephalotaxus buergeriMiq.
  • Cephalotaxus drupaceaSiebold & Zucc.
  • Cephalotaxus drupacea f. fastigiata(Carrière) Pilg.
  • Cephalotaxus drupacea var. pedunculata(Siebold & Zucc.) Miq.
  • Cephalotaxus drupacea var. sinensisRehder & E.H.Wilson
  • Cephalotaxus drupacea f. sphaeralis(Mast.) Pilg.
  • Cephalotaxus fortunei var. foeminaCarrière
  • Cephalotaxus harringtonia f. drupacea(Siebold & Zucc.) Kitam.
  • Cephalotaxus harringtonia subsp. drupacea(Siebold & Zucc.) Silba
  • Cephalotaxus harringtonia var. drupacea(Siebold & Zucc.) Koidz.
  • Cephalotaxus harringtonia var. fastigiata(Carrière) C.K.Schneid.
  • Cephalotaxus harringtonia f. fastigiata(Carrière) Rehder
  • Cephalotaxus harringtonia lusus koraiana(Siebold ex Endl.) K.Koch ex Asch. & Graebn.
  • Cephalotaxus harringtonia var. koraiana(Siebold ex Endl.) Koidz.
  • Cephalotaxus harringtonia var. sinensis(Rehder & E.H.Wilson) Rehder
  • Cephalotaxus harringtonia var. sphaeralis(Mast.) C.K.Schneid.
  • Cephalotaxus harringtonia f. sphaeralis(Mast.) Rehder
  • Cephalotaxus harringtonia var. wilsoniana(Hayata) Kitam.
  • Cephalotaxus pedunculataSiebold & Zucc.
  • Cephalotaxus pedunculata var. fastigiataCarrière
  • Cephalotaxus pedunculata var. sphaeralisMast.
  • Cephalotaxus sinensis(Rehder & E.H.Wilson) H.L.Li
  • Cephalotaxus sinensis var. wilsoniana(Hayata) L.K.Fu & N.Li
  • Cephalotaxus sinensis subsp. wilsoniana(Hayata) Silba
  • Cephalotaxus wilsonianaHayata
  • Nageia koraiana(Siebold ex Endl.) Kuntze
  • Podocarpus koraianusSiebold ex Endl.
  • Taxus baccataThunb.
  • Taxus coriaceaKnight
  • Taxus drupacea(Siebold & Zucc.) C.Lawson
  • Taxus inukajaKnight
  • Taxus japonicaLodd. ex Gordon & Glend.
  • Taxus pedunculata(Siebold & Zucc.) C.Lawson

Cephalotaxus harringtonii, commonly known as Korean plum yew, [2] Japanese plum-yew, [3] Harrington's cephalotaxus, [4] or cowtail pine, is a species of coniferous shrub or small tree in the family Taxaceae. It is native to Japan, but is occasionally utilised in western gardens and several cultivars exist for these purposes. Japanese plum yew has been in cultivation in Europe since 1829, and many modern horticulturists are familiar with this Japanese species, named in honour of Charles Stanhope, 4th Earl of Harrington, one of the first to grow the plant in a European garden, at Elvaston. [5]

Contents

Description

New shoots of C. harringtonii remain green for three years after forming and have ribs at the leaf bases. The buds are green in colour, globular in shape and very small at only 1 mm in length. There is one rank of leaves present on either side of the shoot, and these rise up above it and curve slightly inwards, forming a narrow V-shape somewhat akin to a dove's wings. The ranks are often vertical, but can be more flattened in shaded parts. The leaves are broadly linear in shape and measure about 5 cm long by 0.3 cm wide. They are abruptly pointed at the apex, leathery in texture and a bright matte yellowish-green on the upper-surface. The abaxial surface, or underside of the leaves, shows two broad, pale to silvery stomatal bands. [6]

Coloured plate from the book Flora Japonica, by Philipp Franz von Siebold and Joseph Gerhard Zuccarini Cephalotaxus pedunculata SZ132.png
Coloured plate from the book Flora Japonica, by Philipp Franz von Siebold and Joseph Gerhard Zuccarini

The species is dioecious and the male plants are typically densely covered with pairs of flowers that are pale cream in colour, though they become brown with time, and globular in shape. They are borne on 2 to 4 mm stalks beneath each pair of leaves. Pollen is released from March until May. The female individuals have two pairs of knob-like globose flowers that appear on curved stalks at the bases of the shoots. The fruit is obovoid in shape and measures 2.5 cm long by 1.5 cm wide. They are a smooth and pale green ín colour with dark green stipes, though when ripe they turn brown. [6]

Taxonomy

The Japanese plum yew was first considered to be a yew when it was partially described by Thomas Andrew Knight in 1839 and as such was named Taxus harringtonii. It was reclassified by Philipp Franz von Siebold and Joseph Gerhard Zuccarini in 1846 with a new specific name, Cephalotaxus drupacea. Some botanists consider C. koreana and C. sinensis to be synonymous with C. harringtonii. [7] Although also found under the name Cephalotaxus harringtonia, that name violates the grammar rules of Botanical Latin and in 2012 was corrected to Cephalotaxus harringtonii. However, this opinion is still not universally accepted by taxonomists and therefore it is acceptable to use Cephalotaxus harringtonia until a definitive position has been agreed.

Range and habitat

Cephalotaxus harringtonii is present in Japan. Within Japan, the tree ranges from Kyūshū in the south to Hokkaidō in the north. More specifically, it is found in Hondo in the Chiba Prefecture on Mount Kiyosumi, which is located in the Awa District within the Awa Province. It is also found in the Nagasaki Prefecture and the Hiroshima Prefecture. The variety nana is found in eastern Honshū as well as Hokkaidō, most notably on seaside cliffs and in mountainous areas. [8] They thrive in partial shade on deep, rich soils. [7]

Cultivation

Cephalotaxus harringtonii has been in cultivation in the United Kingdom since 1829 and is infrequently encountered as a garden specimen. Of the several species that exist in the genus, the Japanese plum yew is the one most often encountered in western gardens. [7] Several cultivars exist:

Pharmaceutics

Omacetaxine, a substance derived from the leaves of this plant, is a novel (as of 2008) anti-leukemia drug. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxaceae</span> Family of conifers

Taxaceae, commonly called the yew family, is a coniferous family which includes six extant and two extinct genera, and about 30 species of plants, or in older interpretations three genera and 7 to 12 species.

<i>Koelreuteria paniculata</i> Species of flowering plant

Koelreuteria paniculata is a species of flowering plant in the family Sapindaceae, native to China. Naturalized in Korea and Japan since at least the 1200s, it was introduced in Europe in 1747, and to America in 1763, and has become a popular landscape tree worldwide. Common names include goldenrain tree, pride of India, China tree, and the varnish tree.

<i>Prunus serrulata</i> Species of tree

Prunus serrulata or Japanese cherry is a species of cherry tree that grows naturally in Japan, China, Korea, and Vietnam, and it also refers to a cultivar produced from Prunus speciosa, a cherry tree endemic in Japan. Historically, the Japanese have developed many cultivars by selective breeding of cherry trees, which are produced by the complicated crossing of several wild species, and they are used for ornamental purposes all over the world. Of these, the cultivars produced by complex interspecific hybrids based on the Oshima cherry are also known as the Cerasus Sato-zakura Group.

<i>Ilex crenata</i> Species of holly

Ilex crenata, also known as Japanese holly or box-leaved holly, is a species of flowering plant in the family Aquifoliaceae, native to eastern China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Sakhalin.

<i>Albizia julibrissin</i> Species of plant

Albizia julibrissin, the Persian silk tree, pink silk tree, or mimosa tree, is a species of tree in the Fabaceae family, native to southwestern and eastern Asia.

<i>Cephalotaxus</i> Genus of conifers

Cephalotaxus, commonly called plum yew or cowtail pine, is a genus of conifers comprising 11 species, either considered the only member of the family Cephalotaxaceae, or in the Taxaceae when that family is considered in a broad sense. The genus is endemic to eastern Asia, though fossil evidence shows it had a wider Northern Hemisphere distribution in the past. The species are evergreen shrubs and small trees reaching 1.0–10 metres (3–33 ft) tall.

<i>Acer shirasawanum</i> Species of maple

Acer shirasawanum, the Shirasawa maple or fullmoon maple, is a species of maple native to Japan, on central and southern Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū.

<i>Salix integra</i> Species of willow

Salix integra is a species of willow native to north-eastern China, Japan, Korea and the far south-eastern Russia.

<i>Acer japonicum</i> Species of maple

Acer japonicum, fullmoon maple, or downy Japanese-maple, is a species of maple native to Japan, on Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū, and also southern Korea.

<i>Acer crataegifolium</i> Species of maple

Acer crataegifolium , is a species of maple in the snakebark maple group, native to mountains forests of central and southern Japan, on Honshū, Kyūshū, and Shikoku.

<i>Acer sieboldianum</i> Species of maple

Acer sieboldianum is a species of maple native to Japan and common in the forests of Hokkaidō, Honshū, Shikoku and Kyūshū Islands; in the south of the range it is restricted to mountain forests. It is named after Philipp Franz von Siebold.

<i>Acer cissifolium</i> Species of maple

Acer cissifolium is a maple native to Japan, from southern Hokkaidō south through Honshū and Shikoku to Kyūshū.

Cephalotaxus hainanensis is a species of conifer known by the common name Hainan plum-yew. It is native to southern China, southeastern Tibet, and Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam in northern Indochina.

<i>Tsuga sieboldii</i> Species of conifer

Tsuga sieboldii, also called the southern Japanese hemlock, or in Japanese, simply tsuga (栂), is a conifer native to the Japanese islands of Honshū, Kyūshū, Shikoku and Yakushima. In Europe and North America the tree is sometimes used as an ornamental and has been in cultivation since 1861.

<i>Cephalotaxus wilsoniana</i> Species of conifer

Cephalotaxus wilsoniana is a species of coniferous tree in the yew family, Taxaceae. Its common names include Taiwan plum yew, Taiwan cow's-tail pine, and Wilson plum yew. It is endemic to Taiwan, scattered in montane forests at altitudes of 1400-2700 meters. As Cephalotaxus wilsoniana is dioecious, and grows scattered with broad-leaved trees, the fecundity is not strong. In addition, the seed maturity period is very long. As germination and growth are also slow, Cephalotaxus wilsoniana is not commonly found.

Cowtail pine is a common name for several plants and may refer to:

<i>Cephalotaxus fortunei</i> Species of conifer

Cephalotaxus fortunei, commonly called the Chinese plum-yew, Fortune's yew plum, simply plum yew, Chinese cowtail pine or in Chinese as san jian shan, is a coniferous shrub or small tree in the family Taxaceae. It is native to northern Burma and China, but is sometimes grown in western gardens where it has been in cultivation since 1848.

<i>Prunus tomentosa</i> Species of tree

Prunus tomentosa is a species of Prunus native to northern and western China, Korea, Mongolia, and possibly northern India. Common names for Prunus tomentosa include Nanjing cherry, Korean cherry, Manchu cherry, downy cherry, Shanghai cherry, Ando cherry, mountain cherry, Chinese bush cherry, and Chinese dwarf cherry.

<i>Acer palmatum</i> Species of maple

Acer palmatum, commonly known as Japanese maple, palmate maple, or smooth Japanese maple (Korean: danpungnamu, 단풍나무, Japanese: irohamomiji, イロハモミジ, or momiji,, is a species of woody plant native to Korea, Japan, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. Many different cultivars of this maple have been selected and they are grown worldwide for their large variety of attractive forms, leaf shapes, and spectacular colors.

<i>Zelkova serrata</i> Species of tree

Zelkova serrata is a species of the genus Zelkova native to Japan, Korea, eastern China and Taiwan. It is often grown as an ornamental tree, and used in bonsai. There are two varieties, Zelkova serrata var. serrata in Japan and mainland eastern Asia, and Zelkova serrata var. tarokoensis (Hayata) Li on Taiwan which differs from the type in its smaller leaves with less deeply cut serration on the margins.

References

  1. Yang, Y.; Luscombe, D.; Katsuki, T. (2013). "Cephalotaxus harringtonia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T39589A2929537. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T39589A2929537.en . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. English Names for Korean Native Plants (PDF). Pocheon: Korea National Arboretum. 2015. p. 404. ISBN   978-89-97450-98-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2016 via Korea Forest Service.
  3. BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  4. USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Cephalotaxus harringtonia". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  5. www.derbyshire.gov.uk :Elvaston Gardens
  6. 1 2 3 Mitchell, Alan (1974). Trees of Britain & Northern Europe. London: Harper Collins Publishers. p. 54. ISBN   0-00-219213-6.
  7. 1 2 3 Earle, Christopher J. (2006). "Cephalotaxus harringtonia". The Gymnosperm Database. Archived from the original on 2007-04-05. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  8. Tripp, Kim E. (1995). "Cephalotaxus: the plum yews". Arnoldia. 55 (1). Harvard University Press: 24–39.
  9. Bennett, Simeon (2008-04-03). "ChemGenex Poised for Rebound With Merck-Beating Drug (Update4)". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on February 13, 2015.