''Falcatifolium taxoides'' is a species 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 ...

in the family

Podocarpaceae Podocarpaceae is a large family of mainly Southern Hemisphere conifers, known in English as podocarps, comprising about 156 species of evergreen trees and shrubs.James E. Eckenwalder. 2009. ''Conifers of the World''. Portland, Oregon: Timber Pre ...

. It is found only in

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

, and is the only known host of its non-photosynthetic, possibly parasitic relative, ''

Parasitaxus usta ''Parasitaxus usta'' is a rare species of conifer of the family Podocarpaceae, and the sole species of the genus ''Parasitaxus''. It is a woody shrub up to 1.8 m found only in the remote, densely forested areas of New Caledonia, first discovered ...

''.

Etymology

''Falcatifolium'' means 'with sickle-shaped leaves', while ''taxoides'' means 'yew-like' (resembling ''

Taxus ''Taxus'' is a genus of coniferous trees or shrubs known as yews in the family Taxaceae. They are relatively slow-growing and can be very long-lived, and reach heights of , with trunk girth averaging . They have reddish bark, lanceolate, flat ...

'').Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. (hardback), (paperback). pp 162, 372

References

Podocarpaceae Least concern plants Endemic flora of New Caledonia Trees of New Caledonia Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxa named by Jean Antoine Arthur Gris Taxa named by Adolphe-Théodore Brongniart Taxa named by David John de Laubenfels {{conifer-stub