Taxaceae FAMILY Least Concern

Torreya nucifera

Edibility

4/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Torreya nucifera is an evergreen shrub or a tree. In the wild specimens 25 metres or more tall have been recorded, though in cultivation it is rarely more than 9 metres tall and often only a shrub up to 4 metres tall.. The bole of mature trees can be 90cm in diameter[ 11 Title Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Publication Author Bean. W. Publisher Murray Year 1981 ISBN - Description A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures. , 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood. It is sometimes cultivated for its edible seed, which is sold in local markets, and is also grown as an ornamental, where it can be trimmed and used as a hedge[ 352 Title KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder Publication Author Website http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Year 0 ISBN Description Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone. ]. This species has a wide range and most of the population reduction is thought to have taken place more than three generations ago. There is evidence of decline today, but it seems to be a fairly slow rate of decline and confined to the smaller subpopulations. The population has become very fragmented due to historic clearance of large areas of habitat and as a result the remaining plants are increasingly isolated from each other and as a result regeneration is declining. In some cases there is no regeneration taking place and when the trees die there is local extinction, but it is hard to quantify what proportion of the population is impacted by this. If there were further information on the decline rates or of the area of occupancy, then it it might be close enough to the threatened thresholds to qualify for Near Threatened. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeE. Asia - central and southern Japan, Korea

HabitatScattered in most types of mixed broad-leaved-conifer forest, often in dense shade. In old-growth forest the trees can become quite large but in areas of secondary growth they are more shrub-like; at elevations to 1,100 metres[ 11 Title Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Publication Author Bean. W. Publisher Murray Year 1981 ISBN - Description A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures. , 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].