Taxus canadensis Marsh.

A shrub of spreading habit, often low and straggling, sometimes 4 to 6 ft high; winter buds small, roundish, the scales loose, roundish at the apex, ridged at the back. Leaves 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 in. long, 1⁄16 to 1⁄12 in. wide; linear, terminated by a fine rather abrupt point, shortly stalked; dark glossy green above, paler green beneath. Fruit red, as in T. baccata.

Native of eastern N. America, from Newfoundland to Virginia; introduced in 1800. The Canadian yew is distinguishable from the English yew by the invariably shrubby habit, by the more abruptly pointed leaves, and by the leaf-buds, but can scarcely be said to differ from it more than the varieties of common yew do among themselves. It has little to recommend it beyond its botanical interest, except that it is the hardiest of the yews and can be grown where it is too cold for T. baccata.