- The Himalayan yew is a medium-sized evergreen coniferous tree growing up to 30 mt tall. It is native to the Himalayas and parts of south-east Asia, and found at altitudes of 2100-3400 mt. In forests, it tends to be present as a low canopy tree and in open areas, it usually forms a large and wide shrub. The leaves are thin, flat, slightly sickle-shaped. They are arranged spirally on the shoots, but twisted at the base. Male and female cones are found on separate plants. The seed cones and berry-like, with a single scale developing into a soft, juicy red aril, containing a single dark brown seed. The pollen cones are globose, produced on the undersides of the shoots.
- The species is currently classified as endangered by the IUCN.
- The Himalayan yew has been subject to heavy exploitation for their use in ayurvedic and Tibetan medicine. The Himalayan yew is used in the production of anti-cancer drugs and as fuelwood by the local communities.
Picture Credit : Google
