Amentotaxus yunnanensis

Botanical Description

Amentotaxus yunnanensis is an evergreen tree with a wide, ovate crown; it can grow up to 20 metres tall. The bole can be 25cm in diameter[ 329 Title The Gymnosperm Database Publication Author Website http://www.conifers.org/index.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A vast amount of information on conifers and families of gymnosperms. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its wood, and is also traded from Vietnam to China. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental in gardens and is also being investigated as a potential source of anti-cancer drugs. Due to recent discoveries made of this species during intensive botanical surveys in Viet Nam, this species is now known to have a wider distribution than previously assumed. The majority of its (sub)populations appear to be in Viet Nam, not in China, and it is also in Viet Nam where the species attains large tree size. A re-assessment for Viet Nam gave it the status of Vulnerable (VU) for that country. In China it has been given the status of Endangered (EN); this has lead to a similar global status based on the earlier assumption that most populations were within that country. It is threatened mainly by deforestation, leading to fragmented areas of forest with declining population size in most. Targeted logging removes seed-producing trees, which may lead to diminished recruitment of seedlings and saplings in the population. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' 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. ].