Author(s)

Xuedong Lang, Jianrong Su, Zhijun Zhang, Shugang Lu

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Living Cephalotaxus (plum yews) occurs mainly in East Asia and North of Indo-China peninsula. The study of original taxonomic literatures found that, in early days, the plum yews had ever been described as palnts of Taxus (Taxaceae). Since after the genus name Cephalotaxus Sieb. & Zucc. was firstly cited (from inedited and unpublished Flora Japonica) by Endlicher in 1842, most taxonomist thought which is the earliest time of the genus Cephalotaxus Sieb. & Zucc. was set. However, the genus Cephalotaxus Sieb. & Zucc. was formally effective and valid published by Sieb. & Zucc. in Flora Japonica in 1870 so that there exists some confusions in chronological order. Originally as a genus, Cephalotaxus was included in family Taxaceae and Neger (1907) separated Cephalotaxus from Taxaceae and set family Cephalotaxaceae. Later, Fu (1984) divided Cephalotaxus up into two sections of Cephalotaxus Sieb. & Zucc. sect. Pectinatae L. K. Fu and Cephalotaxus Sieb. & Zucc. sect. Cephalotaxus L. K. Fu on the bases of C. oliveri Masters differ significantly from other taxa of Cephalotaxus in morphological characteristics. Although the plum yews was a little genus of conifers, up to now, about 77 taxa have still been published by taxonomist in different countries or regions. Among them, C. tardiva Sieb. ex Endl. (1847), C. umbraculifera Sieb. ex Endl. (1847), C. sumatrana Miq. (1856) and C. celebica Warb. (1900) have been combined to Taxus, and C. argotaenia (Hance) Pilger (1903) has been combined to Amentotaxus. And at the same time, those taxa existing in Cephalotaxus courently which were accepted by most taxonomist in different countries was also cited in acticle. Lastly, the paper thought presently there still exists many debates about binary classification of Cephalotaxus and the nomenclature of this genus still particularly confusing. Based on some controversial problems, we also point out some taxonomically researching directions at creating some order out of the chaos.

Cephalotaxus, Taxonomic History, Literatures Arrangements, Controversial Problems, Researching Directions

Lang, X. , Su, J. , Zhang, Z. and Lu, S. (2011) The Taxonomic History and Original Literatures Arrangements of Living Cephalotaxus (Cephalotaxaceae). American Journal of Plant Sciences, 2, 496-506. doi: 10.4236/ajps.2011.23058.