Knowra Taxus baccata Taxus baccata Taxus baccata, the European yew, is a long-lived evergreen conifer native to Europe, western Asia, and North Africa. Its seeds are surrounded by fleshy red arils, while most other parts contain toxic taxine alkaloids.
Taxaceae : A family of evergreen conifers that includes yews and several closely related genera. The European yew is a member of this conifer family.
Longbow : A tall bow, traditionally made from a single stave of wood, used for launching arrows. Yew heartwood and sapwood together made prized staves for medieval English longbows.
Fortingall Yew : An ancient European yew growing in the churchyard of Fortingall, Scotland. It is among the best-known ancient examples of the species.
Taxus brevifolia : The Pacific yew, a North American conifer whose bark became the original source of paclitaxel. It is a related yew species associated with paclitaxel's initial discovery.
Aril : A fleshy or otherwise specialized seed covering that develops from tissue near the seed stalk. Its red, fleshy aril surrounds the yew seed and attracts animals.
Taxol : The anticancer drug paclitaxel, which stabilizes microtubules and inhibits cell division. Yew species helped lead to the discovery of this widely used cancer medicine.
Llangernyw Yew : An ancient European yew beside St Digain's Church in Llangernyw, Wales. Its great age and churchyard setting illustrate yew's long association with sacred places.
Taxus cuspidata : The Japanese yew, a species native to northeastern Asia and cultivated as an ornamental tree. It is an East Asian relative often compared with the European yew in gardens.
Taxine alkaloids : A group of toxic alkaloids found in yew plants that can disrupt cardiac electrical activity. These compounds make yew foliage and seeds dangerous to many animals.
Paclitaxel : A chemotherapy drug that stabilizes microtubules, preventing their normal breakdown during cell division. This drug was first isolated from the Pacific yew, while European yew extracts later supported its production.
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