Taxus wallichiana, the Himalayan yew, is a species of yew, native to the Himalaya and parts of south-east Asia. The species has a variety of uses in traditional medicine. It is currently classified as endangered by the IUCN.
The species favours a reasonably wide range of habitats, growing in montane, temperate, warm temperate, and tropical submontane to high montane forests which may be deciduous, evergreen, or of mixed character. In forests, it tends to present as a low canopy tree; in open situations it usually forms a large, broadly spreading shrub. Elevation ranges from 900 m to 3,700 m.[1]
Growthedit
It is a medium-sized evergreenconiferoustree growing to 10 m tall, similar to Taxus baccata and sometimes treated as a subspecies of it. The shoots are green at first, becoming brown after three or four years. The leaves are thin, flat, slightly falcate (sickle-shaped), 1.5–2.7 cm long and 2 mm broad, with a softly mucronate apex; they are arranged spirally on the shoots but twisted at the base to appear in two horizontal ranks on all except for erect lead shoots. It is dioecious, with the male and female cones on separate plants; the seed cone is highly modified, berry-like, with a single scale developing into a soft, juicy red aril 1 cm diameter, containing a single dark brown seed 7 mm long. The pollen cones are globose, 4 mm diameter, produced on the undersides of the shoots in early spring.[5]
Speciesedit
Similar plants occurring further east through China to Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines are included in Taxus wallichiana as T. wallichiana var. chinensis (Pilger) Florin by some authors,[3] but are more often treated as a separate species Taxus chinensis.[5][6]
Medicinal usesedit
The tree has medicinal use in Ayurveda and Tibetan medicine. Taxus wallichiana is also a source of the chemical precursors to the anticancer drug paclitaxel (taxol).[7]Taxus wallichiana is used for making tea by the Bhotiya tribal community in the Garhwal Himalaya. The stem bark of this species, which is locally known as thuner, is collected for this purpose. This species is also used as fuelwood by the local communities. In Himachal it is known to be medicine for some types of cancer.[8]
Conservationedit
The Himalayan yew has been subject to heavy exploitation for its leaves and bark across most of its range through the Himalayas and western China. Declines have been particularly heavy in India and Nepal, with losses of up to 90% having been reported. The degree of exploitation in other locations in its range is less well known, but is also assumed to be serious. The species is currently classified as endangered by the IUCN. It is present in several protected areas, and at least some conservation and propagation measures are underway, with an eye to its commercial value in the medicine trade.[1]
Referencesedit
^ abcThomas, P.; Farjon, A. (2011). "Taxus wallichiana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T46171879A9730085. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T46171879A9730085.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
^Farjon, A. (1998). World Checklist and Bibliography of Conifers. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew ISBN1-900347-54-7.
^Medicinal plants on verge of extinction - environment - 10 January 2009 - New Scientist
^Kala, C.P. (2010). Medicinal Plants of Uttarakhand; Diversity, Livelihood and Conservation. Delhi: BioTech Books. p. 188. ISBN978-8176222099.
January 01, 1970
taxus, wallichiana, himalayan, species, native, himalaya, parts, south, east, asia, species, variety, uses, traditional, medicine, currently, classified, endangered, iucn, conservation, status, endangered, iucn, cites, appendix, cites, scientific, classificati. Taxus wallichiana the Himalayan yew is a species of yew native to the Himalaya and parts of south east Asia The species has a variety of uses in traditional medicine It is currently classified as endangered by the IUCN Taxus wallichiana Conservation status Endangered IUCN 3 1 1 CITES Appendix II CITES 2 Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Gymnospermae Division Pinophyta Class Pinopsida Order Cupressales Family Taxaceae Genus Taxus Species T wallichiana Binomial name Taxus wallichianaZucc Synonyms 3 4 List Taxus baccata subsp wallichiana Taxus celebica Warb H L Li Taxus chinensis var yunnanensis W C Cheng amp L K Fu L K Fu Taxus contorta var mucronata Spjut Taxus nucifera Wall Taxus obscura Spjut Taxus orientalis Bertol Taxus phytonii Spjut Taxus suffnesii Spjut Taxus sumatrana Miq de Laub Taxus yunnanensis W C Cheng amp L K Fu Contents 1 Distribution and habitat 2 Growth 3 Species 4 Medicinal uses 5 Conservation 6 ReferencesDistribution and habitat editThe species favours a reasonably wide range of habitats growing in montane temperate warm temperate and tropical submontane to high montane forests which may be deciduous evergreen or of mixed character In forests it tends to present as a low canopy tree in open situations it usually forms a large broadly spreading shrub Elevation ranges from 900 m to 3 700 m 1 Growth editIt is a medium sized evergreen coniferous tree growing to 10 m tall similar to Taxus baccata and sometimes treated as a subspecies of it The shoots are green at first becoming brown after three or four years The leaves are thin flat slightly falcate sickle shaped 1 5 2 7 cm long and 2 mm broad with a softly mucronate apex they are arranged spirally on the shoots but twisted at the base to appear in two horizontal ranks on all except for erect lead shoots It is dioecious with the male and female cones on separate plants the seed cone is highly modified berry like with a single scale developing into a soft juicy red aril 1 cm diameter containing a single dark brown seed 7 mm long The pollen cones are globose 4 mm diameter produced on the undersides of the shoots in early spring 5 Species editSimilar plants occurring further east through China to Taiwan Vietnam and the Philippines are included in Taxus wallichiana as T wallichiana var chinensis Pilger Florin by some authors 3 but are more often treated as a separate species Taxus chinensis 5 6 Medicinal uses editThe tree has medicinal use in Ayurveda and Tibetan medicine Taxus wallichiana is also a source of the chemical precursors to the anticancer drug paclitaxel taxol 7 Taxus wallichiana is used for making tea by the Bhotiya tribal community in the Garhwal Himalaya The stem bark of this species which is locally known as thuner is collected for this purpose This species is also used as fuelwood by the local communities In Himachal it is known to be medicine for some types of cancer 8 Conservation editThe Himalayan yew has been subject to heavy exploitation for its leaves and bark across most of its range through the Himalayas and western China Declines have been particularly heavy in India and Nepal with losses of up to 90 having been reported The degree of exploitation in other locations in its range is less well known but is also assumed to be serious The species is currently classified as endangered by the IUCN It is present in several protected areas and at least some conservation and propagation measures are underway with an eye to its commercial value in the medicine trade 1 References edit a b c Thomas P Farjon A 2011 Taxus wallichiana IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011 e T46171879A9730085 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2011 2 RLTS T46171879A9730085 en Retrieved 20 November 2021 Appendices CITES cites org Retrieved 2024 01 17 a b Flora of China Taxus wallichiana var wallichiana eFloras org Taxus wallichiana Zucc Plants of the World Online Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Retrieved 29 August 2023 a b Rushforth K 1987 Conifers Helm ISBN 0 7470 2801 X Farjon A 1998 World Checklist and Bibliography of Conifers Royal Botanic Gardens Kew ISBN 1 900347 54 7 Medicinal plants on verge of extinction environment 10 January 2009 New Scientist Kala C P 2010 Medicinal Plants of Uttarakhand Diversity Livelihood and Conservation Delhi BioTech Books p 188 ISBN 978 8176222099 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Taxus wallichiana amp oldid 1196462669, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
