Cephalotaxus oliveri

Cephalotaxus oliveri is a species of the family of the head Yews ( Cephalotaxaceae ). It is native to China, other deposits in southeastern Asia are considered questionable.

Description

Cephalotaxus oliveri grows as evergreen shrub or small tree that can reach the stature heights of up to 4 meters. The scaly Stammborke is yellow to grayish brown. The 7-9 cm long branches are oblong- elliptical shape in cross section.

The leathery, straight or slightly sickle-shaped needles are linear - lanceolate, with a length from 1.5 to 3.2 centimeters and a width of 2.3 to 3.2 millimeters. You are at a roughly 0.5 mm long stalk and go at an angle of 55 to 70 ° from the branches off. The base of the needles is slightly cordate to cordate - truncate, while the tip is tapered blunt or sharp. The needle edges are flat. The needle top is colored pale green and at the needle base you will find 13 to 17 Stomatareihen.

The heyday of Cephalotaxus oliveri extends from March to April, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The male cones each contain six to ten Mikrosporophylle, each with three to four pollen sacs. The single constant, female cones have one around 0.6 centimeters long stem. They are surrounded by a seed coat ( aril ). The inverted - ovate, ovate to almost spherical grains are 2.2 to 2.7 inches long and 1.4 to 1.8 inches wide. They have a stachelspitzige tip.

The chromosome number is 2n = 24

Distribution and location

The natural range of Cephalotaxus oliveri comprises the central and southern China. One finds the way there in Chongqing, in northern Guangdong, Guizhou, western Hubei, Hunan, eastern Jiangxi, southern and western Sichuan and eastern Yunnan. According to some authors, there are also deposits in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and eastern India. This occurrence, however, apply as questionable and require further investigation.

Cephalotaxus oliveri thrives at altitudes from 300 to 1800 meters. The species grows mainly in the undergrowth of subtropical deciduous, mixed and coniferous forests. In the undergrowth, the type spindle bushes ( Euonymus ), hydrangeas ( Hydrangea ), honeysuckle comes along with different types of barberry (Berberis ), Summer Lilacs ( Buddleia ), camellia (Camellia ), Zwergmispeln ( Cotoneaster ), Deutzien ( Deutzia ), ( Lonicera ), Prunus and rhododendrons (Rhododendron ) ago.

Cephalotaxus oliveri is classified in the IUCN Red List as "vulnerable". The main risk the destruction of forests for the utilization of the soils for agriculture and for the production of wood is called. Further, the collection of bark and other parts of plants plays an important role in medical applications. The total number of species is declining.

Use

The cortex and other plant parts are used as a medicine. They contain many alkaloids, produce an effect against cancer is said.

System

The first description as Cephalotaxus oliveri was made in 1898 by Maxwell Tylden Masters in Bulletin de l' Herbier Boissier, Volume 6, page 270

Swell

• Christopher J. Earle: Cephalotaxus oliveri. In: The Gymnosperm Database. www.conifers.org, November 23, 2012, accessed on 23 December 2013 ( English).
• Liguo Fu, Nan Li, Thomas S. Elias & Robert R. Mill: Pinaceae. Picea. In: Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven & Hong Deyuan (eds.): Flora of China. Cycadaceae through Fagaceae. Volume 4, Science Press and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, Beijing and St. Louis in 1999, ISBN 0-915279-70-3, Cephalotaxus oliveri, p 85 ( this printed work is the same text online, Cephalotaxus oliveri - Online).