Featuring the longest needles among its relatives, this elegant evergreen conifer is widely distributed across the mountain valleys of southern China and northern Myanmar. It forms a graceful understory tree in mixed forests, thriving in moist, shaded environments.
As a wild-growing species, it plays an important ecological role in its native habitats. Its seeds and needles are toxic, deterring herbivores and protecting the plant from grazing.
This variety grows as a shrub or small tree, reaching up to 10 to 15 meters in height with a loose, open crown. The linear needles are notably long, measuring between 5 to 9 centimeters, and are arranged spirally but spread in two flat ranks.
Each needle is shiny deep green on the upper surface, while the lower surface displays two broad, white stomatal bands. The plant is dioecious, and the female specimens bear olive-like seeds enclosed in a fleshy aril that turns purple-brown when ripe.
Spring
Although toxic for consumption, the plant is of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry due to the presence of antileukemic alkaloids. The fine-grained wood is also valued locally for carving and building tools.
The common name "Fortune's Plum Yew" honors the Scottish botanist Robert Fortune, who introduced many Chinese plants to Europe in the 19th century. The fleshy cover of the seed resembles a small plum, which gives the genus its common name.
External Databases: GBIF
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