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.
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