Cephalotaxus latifolia W. C. Cheng & L. K. Fu ex L. K. Fu & R. R. Mill

This name was invalid as originally described (as Cephalotaxus sinensis var. latifolia W. C. Cheng & L. K. Fu in W. C. Cheng & al., Acta Phytotax. Sin. 13(4): 86. 1975), and when later raised to species rank (L. K. Fu, Acta Phytotax. Sin. 22: 280. 1984), because two types (male and female) were designated. Cephalotaxus latifolia is more similar to C. harringtonii (Knight ex J. Forbes) K. Koch (C. drupacea Siebold & Zuccarini), from Japan and Korea, than to C. sinensis, with which it has been united by some authors. Cephalotaxus harringtonii has often been recorded from China (e.g., by S. Y. Hu, Taiwania 10: 25-26. 1964; A. Farjon, World Checkl. Bibliogr. Conif. 28. 1998), but apparently always as a misidentification of either C. latifolia or C. sinensis. Its leaves usually terminate in a relatively long cusp (as in C. sinensis) but occasional variants with very shortly mucronate leaves occur. These variants are similar to C. latifolia and C. mannii (C. hainanensis); their taxonomic status, and their relationship with the latter two taxa, need investigation.

Shrubs or small trees to 5 m tall; bark grayish brown; branches stout. Leafy branchlets oblong in outline, plane, 5.5-9 × 4-5 cm. Leaves borne at (60-)65-80(-85)° to branchlet axis, sessile but decurrent for whole length of internode; blade dark olive green adaxially, linear, ± straight, 1.6-3 cm × 2.8-4(-6) mm, thick and leathery, midvein raised adaxially and bordered on each side by a paler, longitudinal channel, strongly raised abaxially, 0.25-0.5 mm wide, stomatal bands white, 0.8-1 mm wide, of 11-15 rows of stomata, ca. 2-3 × as wide as midvein, marginal bands green, ca. 0.3 mm wide, base cuneate, slightly asymmetric, margin flat (slightly revolute when dry), apex abruptly mucronate, mucro 0.2-0.4 mm. Pollen-cone capitula axillary on lower side of branchlet axis; peduncle 1.5-2.5 mm, scaly; bracts ca. 9, ovate, in 4 rows, apical bracts ca. 0.7 × 0.3 mm, apex mucronate. Seeds cones borne 2-6 together; peduncle 2-4 mm, scaly. Seed obovoid, 1.8-2 cm, apex with small mucro at center. Pollination May.

NW Fujian, N Guangdong, NE Guangxi, SE Guizhou, SW Hubei, W Jiangxi, SE Sichuan

* Thickets in mountainous areas; 900-2400 m.

Cephalotaxus latifolia is a coniferous shrub or small tree in the family Taxaceae. It is native to southern China and is similar in appearance to both C. sinensis and C. harringtonii.