softwood page

YEW

NOTE: unless otherwise specifically stated, all of the images shown on this
page are of 1/4" square end grain cross sections shown at 12X with the top
of the image towards the bark and the bottom towards the pith so that
earlywood is towards the bottom of the growth rings and latewood is towards the top

to see all species with links to their anatomy page go here: species links

general characteristics of yew

• parenchyma:
• rays: tiny, generally invisible even at 10X
• growth rings: generally a very small area of dark latewood growth preceded by a large, lighter colored, area of earlywood growth. Japanese yew tends to have a larger area of latewood with a more gradual transition from earlywood to latewood
• resin canals:

   

• English yew / Taxus baccata
• English yew / Taxus baccata

   

• Japanese yew / Taxus cuspidata
• Japanese yew / Taxus cuspidata

     

• Japanese yew / Taxus spp.
• Japanese yew / Taxus spp.
• Japanese yew / Taxus spp.

   

• Japanese yew / Taxus spp.
• Himalyan yew / Taxus wallichiana

     

     

     

   

   

• Pacific yew / Taxus brevifolia
• Pacific yew / Taxus brevifolia
• Pacific yew / Taxus brevifolia


• Pacific yew / Taxus brevifolia
• Pacific yew / Taxus brevifolia
• Pacific yew / Taxus brevifolia


• Pacific yew / Taxus brevifolia
• Pacific yew / Taxus brevifolia


• Pacific yew / Taxus brevifolia
• Pacific yew / Taxus brevifolia --- with indented grain


• old growth Pacific yew / Taxus brevifolia --- these two are from nearby areas of the same sample
• old growth Pacific yew / Taxus brevifolia --- these two are from nearby areas of the same sample