Cephalotaxaceae

A Dictionary of Plant Sciences | 1998 | 607 words | Copyright

Cephalotaxaceae (cow's tail pines) A family of gymnosperms, close to the Taxaceae, that comprises small trees with narrow, pinnately arranged, yew-like foliage. They are dioecious, like the yews. The male cones are small, and globular to oval. The female flowers usually occur as 2 pairs, or in bunches of 3–5, on curved stalks at the shoot bases, and produce olive-like ‘fruits’ which are erect and which have a fleshy aril enclosing the seed (except at its tip). They are cultivated as ornamental trees. There is 1 genus (Cephalotaxus), with 4 species, which occur in South-east Asia.

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "Cephalotaxaceae." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "Cephalotaxaceae." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-Cephalotaxaceae.html

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