Amentotaxus formosana

Amentotaxus formosana, the Taiwan catkin yew, is a species of conifer in the family Taxaceae. It is a small tree to 10 m (33 ft) tall, with a slender trunk.[2] It was previously recognised as a variant of Amentotaxus argotaenia.[1]

Amentotaxus formosana
Amentotaxus formosana underside of foliage showing stomata, Strybing Arboretum, San Francisco
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Taxaceae
Genus: Amentotaxus
Species:
A. formosana
Binomial name
Amentotaxus formosana
H.L. Li

Amentotaxus formosana is found only in Taiwan where it only occurs in four localities of cloud forest in the Hengchun Peninsula, in the extreme south of the island.[1] IUCN considers A. formosana as critically endangered because of its populations are small and threatened by habitat loss.[1] The populations are characterized by very low levels of genetic diversity.[3]

The wood is used for making furniture and handicrafts, etc., and the species is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental tree.[2]

References
  1. Thomas, P. (2013). "Amentotaxus formosana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T31265A2802875. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T31265A2802875.en.
  2. Fu, L.; Li, N. & Mill, R.R. "Amentotaxus formosana". Flora of China. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  3. Wang, C. T.; Wang, W. Y.; Chiang, C. H.; Wang, Y. N.; Lin, T. P. (1996). "Low genetic variation in Amentotaxus formosana Li revealed by isozyme analysis and random amplified polymorphic DNA markers". Heredity. 77 (4): 388–395. doi:10.1038/hdy.1996.158.


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