Taxus cuspidata
Japanese yew
Taxus cuspata, commonly known as the Japanese yew, is a resilient evergreen conifer native to East Asia. Renowned for its dense, needle-like foliage and striking red arils, this plant holds significant botanical interest. While traditionally studied for potential medicinal properties, its alkaloids require careful handling due to high toxicity.
- Scientific name: Taxus cuspidata
- Family: Taxaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Pinidae, it is categorized under the order Pinales and the family Taxaceae. It is further classified under the genus Taxus, specifically identified as the species Taxus cuspidata.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Pinidae | WCVP |
| Order | Pinales | WCVP |
| Family | Taxaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Taxus | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Taxus cuspidata, is referred to by various common names depending on the region and language. In Chinese, it is called 东北红豆杉 (zh-hans), 東北紅豆杉 (zh-hant), and 東北紅豆杉 (zh-hk). In Poland, it is known as Cis japoński (pl), while in Korea, it is called 주목 (ko).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 东北红豆杉 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 東北紅豆杉 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 東北紅豆杉 | Wikidata |
| pl | Cis japoński | Wikidata |
| ko | 주목 | Wikidata |
| ru | тис остроконечный | Wikidata |
| fr | If du Japon | Wikidata |
| fi | japaninmarjakuusi | Wikidata |
| uk | Тис гострокінцевий | Wikidata |
| de | Japanische Eibe | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide geographical range across several distinct regions of Northeast Asia. In Eastern Europe, its presence can be found specifically within the Baltic States. The species is also well-established in the Russian Far East, spanning the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, and the Primorye region. Furthermore, its distribution extends into the Manchuria region of China. Together, these locations define the primary natural habitats for Taxus cuspidata.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Europe | Baltic States | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Kuril Is. | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Primorye | WCVP |
| Russian Far East | Sakhalin | WCVP |
| China | Manchuria | WCVP |
| China | China North-Central | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Korea | WCVP |
| Northeastern U.S.A. | New York | WCVP |
| Northeastern U.S.A. | Vermont | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Taxus cuspata, possesses several distinct components that are of significant scientific and medicinal interest. The most visually prominent features are its dark green, linear needles, which function as the primary photosynthetic leaves of the species. Internally, the dense heartwood provides structural support and is often studied for its chemical composition. While the plant produces seeds contained within fleshy arils, modern pharmacological research frequently bypasses traditional harvesting by utilizing callus cultures in laboratory settings to produce valuable bioactive compounds more sustainably.- Total parts
- 9
- Scientific sources
- 18
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| needles | 8 | ★★★★☆ |
| leaves | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| heartwood | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| seeds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| callus cultures | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| callus culture | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| branches bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Tree bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Taxus cuspidata has 46 reported phytochemicals identified across 65 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include taxol, Taxol, baccatin III, paclitaxel, taxanes.
- Total chemicals
- 46
- Scientific sources
- 65
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| taxol | 6 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Taxol | 5 | ★★★☆☆ |
| baccatin III | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| paclitaxel | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| taxanes | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| baccatin VI | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| beta-sitosterol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cephalomannine | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| taxoids | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 10-deacetyl baccatin III | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Taxus cuspidata has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Taxus cuspidata has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include multidrug resistance, tumors.
- Total uses
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| multidrug resistance | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tumors | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |