TAXONOMY AND NOMENCLATURE OF TAXUS (TAXACEAE)

A taxonomic treatment of Taxus (Taxaceae) is presented, based on morphological characters. The genus is proposed to have 24 species and 55 varieties; 24 species and 26 varieties are presented in a key and classified into three main groups, two subgroups, and two alliances. Previously existing names were applied to 15 species and six varieties—T. baccata L. and its varieties—var. dovastoniana Leighton, var. elegantissima Hort. ex C. Lawson, var. glauca Jacques ex Carrière, var. pyramidalis Hort. ex C. Lawson, and var. variegata Watson; T. brevifolia Nutt., T. caespitosa Nakai, T. canadensis Marshall, T. celebica (Warb.) H.L. Li, T. chinensis (Pilg.) Rehder, T. contorta Griff., T. cuspidata Siebold & Zucc., T. fastigiata Lindl., T. globosa Schltdl., T. mairei (Lemée & H. Lév.) S.Y. Hu ex T.S. Liu, T. recurvata Hort. ex C. Lawson, T. sumatrana (Miq.) de Laub., T. umbraculifera (Siebold ex Endl.) C. Lawson, T. wallichiana Zucc. and var. yunnanensis (W.C. Cheng & L.K. Fu) C. T. Kuan. Six new species—T. biternata Spjut, T. florinii Spjut, T. kingstonii Spjut, T. obscura Spjut, T. phytonii Spjut, and T. suffnessii Spjut, and four new varieties—T. brevifolia Nutt. var. polychaeta Spjut, T. brevifolia Nutt. var. reptaneta Spjut, T. caespitosa Nakai var. angustifolia Spjut and T. contorta Griff. var. mucronata Spjut are described. Eight new combinations are made: T. caespitosa var. latifolia (Pilg.) Spjut, T. canadensis var. adpressa (Carrière) Spjut, T. canadensis var. minor (Michx.) Spjut, T. globosa var. floridana (Nutt. ex Chapm.) Spjut, T. mairei (Lemée & H. Lév.) S.Y. Hu ex T.S. Liu var. speciosa (Florin) Spjut, T. umbraculifera var. hicksii (Hort. ex Rehder) Spjut, T. umbraculifera var. microcarpa (Trautv.) Spjut, and T. umbraculifera (Siebold ex Endl.) C. Lawson var. nana (Rehder) Spjut. Taxonomy and nomenclature are discussed for each species and variety.