| Abstract: | The genus Cephalotaxus contains a small number of species. It is adequately
appreciated as a newly discovered cancerresistant medicament for the alkaloids obtained from its branches leaves and barks are of curative effect.
This paper deals with the classificatory revision based on the morphological features, with the reference to the anatomical characters of leaves, types of alkaloids and
pollen morphology observed. Two new combinations are proposed, and 4 species and
varieties are reduced in the paper. The genus Cephalotaxus is thus suggested to consist
of 2 sections and 9 species. The trees occur in East Asia and the north of Indo-China,
with 88% found in China where is the distribution centre and refuge of the genus.
The genus in discussion is of unique morphological features which are distinctly different from these of Amentotaxus, Cephalotaxaceae, containing a single genus of Cephalotaxus, is closely related to Taxaceae, and therefore the Cephalotaxaceae is best
placed in the Taxinieae of Coniferales. |
