(proposed)
Taxus florinii
Spjut (2007) proposes the name "Florin yew" which is simply a transliteration of the scientific name, but in a 2023 search I could find no uses of the name except by Spjut. Practically speaking, plants of this species have likely been referred to by vernacular names for other yews within its range.
Type: China: Yunnan: Litiping between Likiang and Weihai, tree 17 ft, in mixed forests by stream, 11 Oct 1939, R.C. Ching 21980 (Holo A!). Most collections of this plant will be found assigned to Taxus wallichiana, with which Farjon (2010) synonymizes it. Spjut (2007), in his treatment of Taxus, recognized or described many species and infraspecific taxa that have since been synonymized with previously-described species. However, Möller et al. (2013) present an extensive molecular and morphological study that considered samples from 79 populations of Taxus wallichiana (sensu latu) across the entire distribution range of the species, and found those samples represented 5 distinct population clusters. Four of the clusters mapped onto the known species T. wallichiana (sensu strictu), T. chinensis, T. mairei, and T. florinii; the fifth cluster mapped onto a new grouping, which the authors assigned to T. calcicola. This rigorous analysis has led to a more general acceptance of all five taxa as good species, although the differences between them are of an order more consistent with subspecies or varieties, than with separate species.
Shrubs, or trees to 13 m tall. Bark not described. Twigs yellowish green, changing to reddish purple in 2nd year; bud-scales persistent on 1–2 yr twigs in most specimens, 2–3-seriate, deltoid, concave, 0.3–0.5 mm long, obscurely to prominently carinate, closely attached. Leaves in distichous arrangement, linear-lanceolate, straight to falcate, 15–35 × 2.0–4.0 mm, 0.2–0.35 mm thick, dark glossy green above, yellowish green below, upper (adaxial) side slightly convex to a rounded midrib, channeled along each side from mid region to base, less concave below (abaxial) to a flush to slightly rounded midrib, margins plane to slightly revolute; acuminate. Stomata bands narrower than their green margins; stomata in 7–12 rows per band. Pollen cones on 1st and 2nd yr twigs, 4 × 3 mm, yellowish green, the scales 4–5 seriate; microsporangia 5–6 on each sporophyll, pinkish, spongy. Seed cones initiating on current season growth, subcylindric in bud, 2–4 mm long, maturing 1st and 2nd year; seed ovoid to globose, to 5 mm, pale yellowish, sharply pointed at apex, covered in part by red aril (Spjut 2007).
Taxus wallichiana has 12-18 parallel lines of stomata in each stomatal band, most bud scales are persistent, and the apex is acuminate. T. florinii, in contrast, has only 8-11 lines of stomata in each stomatal band; few bud scales are persistent, and its apex is acute to obtuse. Both species differ from other Chinese yews in having curved or sigmoid (not straight) leaves and a densely papillate midrib (Möller et al. 2013).
China: Sichuan and Yunnan. Found at elevations of 2500-3700 m, usually on acidic to neutral soils. Occurs as an understory or lower canopy tree in montane, temperate or warm temperate forest; or, on rocky slopes and cliffs, it may form a large, broadly spreading shrub. It can resprout from stumps. It may occur in pure stands of limited extent or be scattered in the understorey of Quercus, Tsuga, Abies and Picea mixed conifer forests (Spjut 2007, Thomas and Gao 2018).
The IUCN has not prepared a conservation assessment for this species, but Thomas and Gao (2018) propose that it should be classified as "Endangered" (or perhaps "Critically Endangered") because it has a limited distribution and in some parts of its range has undergone recent declines of up to 80%. The main threat has been overexploitation of bark and foliage for both domestic and international trade.
No data as of 2023.02.23.
"Traditional medicine has made use of young shoots and leaves and sometimes of inner bark for a long time in various potions, tinctures and pastes" (Thomas and Gao 2018).
Spjut (2007) lists 14 collections that he verified as belonging to this taxon, although most of them are quite old and have only vague geographic information.
The epithet florinii honors Swedish botanist Carl Rudolf Florin (1894-1965), who published the first descriptions of quite a few gymnosperm taxa and also authored a number of influential works on conifers and, especially, taxads.
Moeller, M., L. M. Gao, R. R. Mill, J. Liu, D. Q. Zhang, R. C. Poudel, and D. Z. Li. 2013. A multidisciplinary approach reveals hidden taxonomic diversity in the morphologically challenging Taxus wallichiana complex. Taxon 62(6):1161-1177.
Spjut, Richard W. 2007. Taxonomy and nomenclature of Taxus (Taxaceae). Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 1:203-289 (p.222). Available: Biodiversity Heritage Library, accessed 2023.02.23.
Thomas, P. and L. Gao. 2018. Taxus florinii, at Threatened Conifers of the World, accessed 2023.02.23. The page also includes photographs.
GBIF summary page, which includes over 180 geolocated occurrences and over 100 scanned herbarium images.
Last Modified 2023-02-26
Back to top