Cephalotaxus wilsoniana
台湾粗榧 tai wan cu fei [Chinese] (Fu et al. 1999), Taiwan plum yew; Taiwan cow's-tail pine (Liu 1970).
Syn.: C. harringtonia var. wilsoniana (Hayata) Kitam. 1974; C. sinensis var. wilsoniana (Hayata) Fu et Li 1997 (Farjon 1998). The molecular analysis by Hao et al. (2008) showed that the clade C. harringtonia - C. koreana - C. wilsoniana is monophyletic, and that the latter two species could be treated as varieties of the former.
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).
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 1999). Hardy to Zone 8 (cold hardiness limit between -12.1°C and -6.7°C) (Bannister and Neuner 2001).
No data as of 2023.02.23.
No data as of 2023.02.23.
No data as of 2023.02.23.
Herbarium of the Research Center For Biodiversity, Academia Sinica, Taipei [HAST]. 1999. Database output at http://www2.sinica.edu.tw:8080/hast/eindex.html, accessed 1999.03.15, now defunct.
The species account at Threatened Conifers of the World.
Huang 1994 (the Flora of Taiwan).
Last Modified 2023-02-26