Taxus floridana
Florida Yew ( Taxus floridana )
The Florida Yew ( Taxus floridana ) is a species of the genus of yew (Taxus ) in the family of Yews ( Taxaceae ).
Distribution and location
The Florida yew is endemic to a small area around the Apalachicola River in the U.S. state of Florida. It occurs in wooded bluffs and ravines along the east bank of the Apalachicola River. Your natural ingredient is considered endangered.
Like other Taxus species is the Florida yew a shadow specialist; she gets on well with fully shady locations. It prefers slightly acidic soils.
Description
The Florida yew is to just 40 cm reached an evergreen, slow-growing shrub or tree, the plant height and usually up to 5 meters, less commonly 8 to 10 meters and trunk diameter. The Florida yew branches far -charging horizontally. The bark is purplish - brown; on young branches it is still smooth, at the age she shatters into small irregular plates. The dark green needles are about 2.5 cm long; they are soft and pliable and are on both sides parted from the branch. The bud is fresh and green is such a nice contrast to the dark green older foliage.
The Florida yew is dioecious getrenntgeschlechtig ( dioecious ). In March, the inconspicuous flowers appear on the female plants. In October, the yellow-brown, about 0.5 to 1 cm long seeds are mature, the seeds of a red coat ( aril ) are partially enclosed.
System
Since this type partly as a variety of Canadian yew ( Taxus canadensis) is considered, there is the synonym Taxus canadensis L. var floridana ( Nutt. ex Chapm. ) Pilgrims.
Health Note
Almost all parts of the plants of the Florida yew are highly toxic.
Use
The bark of the Florida yew contains taxol, a significant as a cancer therapeutic agent. However, there was no commercial cultivation; now there are methods to gain taxol from certain species in the laboratory.
Swell
- Christopher J. Earle: Taxus floridana. In: The Gymnosperm Database. December 12, 2010, accessed on 25 October 2011 ( English).
- Species profile at floridata.com. (English )