Yew

Yew is a common name given to various species of trees in the genus Taxus. The most notable species include the European yew, Taxus baccata, which is native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia, and the Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia, native to the Pacific Northwest of North America.

Description

Yews are evergreen trees or shrubs, which can be highly variable and many are garden and amenity cultivars. The leaves are lanceolate, flat, dark green, arranged spirally on the stem, but with the leaf bases twisted to align the leaves in two flat rows either side of the stem.

Uses

Yew wood is hard, fine-grained, and heavy, and is used for making longbows and other items requiring elasticity and strength. The alkaloid compound taxol, derived from the bark of the Pacific yew, has been shown to be effective in the treatment of certain types of cancer.

Toxicity

All parts of a yew plant are toxic to humans with the exception of the yew berries (however, their seeds are toxic); moreover, its foliage is also toxic to livestock.

Conservation

Many species of yew are threatened in their natural habitats, often due to over-exploitation for their valuable timber and for the horticultural trade.

See also

• List of yew species
• Taxus baccata
• Taxus brevifolia

Yew Resources
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