Torreya
(named in compliment to Dr. John Torrey, 1796-1873, an American botanist, and one of the authors of the "Flora of North America"). Stinking Yew. SYNS. Caryotaxus, Faetataxus. ORD. Coniferae. A genus embracing only four species of hardy, evergreen trees, emitting a strong, disagreeable odour from all parts when bruised, natives of North America, North China, and Japan. Flowers dioecious, the males solitary and sub-sessile in the axils, the female catkins axillary, sessile, one-flowered. Fruit ovoid, drupe-like, 3/4in. to 1 1/2in. long. Leaves sub-spirally affixed, distichously spreading, very shortly petiolate, linear, flat, similar to those of Taxus, but longer. The species do not attain in Great Britain anything near the beautiful aspect they assume in their native countries. Torreyas thrive in almost any soil They are readily propagated from seeds, which should be sown in spring; the ripe fruits, after being gathered, should be mixed with sand, and treated similarly to those of the Hawthorn, until sowing time. Cuttings also afford a ready means of increasing the stock of any species; these should be inserted in sandy soil, in August, and kept shaded under handlights, or in cold frames, during bright sun, until rooted. Layering may also be advantageously resorted to.
T. californica (Californian). Californian Nutmeg. fr. with a leathery-green covering. l. long, narrow, and opposite on the branchlets, but somewhat alternate and scattered round the principal shoots, linear-lanceolate, spiny-pointed, shortly petiolate, decurrent at base, 2in. to 2 1/2in. long, pale yellowish-green. h. 20ft. to 40ft. California, 1851. See Fig. 62. (B. M. 4780; F. d. S. 925; G. C. n. s., xxii., p. 631, under name of T. myristica.)
T. grandis (great).* fr. green, the size of a small walnut. l. very rigid, linear-lanceolate, rather short, somewhat falcate, 3/4in. to 1in. long, light glossy-green above, much paler, with two narrow, greyish lines beneath, on very short, spirally-twisted footstalks, more or less opposite, spiny-pointed. Branches whorled, horizontally spreading; branchlets laterally distichous. h. 60ft. to 80ft. China. (G. C. n. s., xxii., p. 681; R. H. 1879, 173.) SYN. Cephalotaxus umbraculifera
T. myristica (nutmeg-shape-fruited). A synonym of T. californica. T. nucifera (nut-bearing). fr. 3/4in. long, 1/2in. broad, oval or ovate-oblong, glossy. l. linear, rounded at base, quite straight, flat, leathery, spiny-pointed, mostly curved downwards, 1in. to 1 3/4in. long, on very short footstalks, deep glossy-green, glaucous-white beneath. Branches numerous whorled, alternate, or scattered along the stem, horizontally spreading. h. 20ft. to 30ft. Japan. (R. H. 1873, 315; S. Z. F. J. 129.)
T. taxifolia (Yew-leaved).* Stinking Cedar. fr. oval, a little pointed, nearly as large as a walnut. l. rounded at base, and somewhat recurved at the extremity, linear, frequently falcate, stiff, leathery, on very short footstalks, twisted and decurrent at base, spiny-pointed at apex, 1in. to 1 3/4in. long, glossy and convex above, beneath pale glaucous-grey, and marked on each side the midrib with two narrow, reddish, sunken bands. Branches mostly whorled, spreading; branchlets horizontal. h. 40ft. to 50ft. Florida, 1840.(G. C. n. s., iv. 291.)