''Cephalotaxus hainanensis'' is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
conifer
Conifers are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single ...
known by the common name Hainan plum-yew. It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to the island of
Hainan
Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slightly l ...
in southern
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
.
[ It is possibly a synonym of '']Cephalotaxus mannii
''Cephalotaxus mannii'' is a species of plant in the family Taxaceae. It is a tree up to about tall, native to southern China, northeast India, Laos, northern Thailand, northern Myanmar and northern Vietnam. While the species is widespread, its ...
''.rainforest
Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...
habitat. When mature it is a tree 10 to 20 meters tall. It is sometimes a dominant species in the local ecosystem.[
''C. hainanensis'' is suggested to have antileukemia activity, and is widely used as an herbal remedy in China.][ ]Logging
Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars.
Logging is the beginning of a supply chain ...
has historically been a cause of its decline, but as logging is no longer allowed on Hainan,[ much of the pressure is currently from illegal harvesting for Chinese remedies.
]
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3439489
Trees of China
Endemic flora of China
hainanensis
Endangered plants
Plants described in 1953