Classification

 

Eukarya- The eukaryotes are organisms whose cells have true nuclei and membrane-bound organelle.
 
Plantae- Members of this kingdom are all multicellular eukaryotes which undergo photosynthesis in order to carry out their autotrophic lifestyles.  In order to go through photosynthesis, plants are equipped with chloroplasts containing photosynthetic pigments chlorophyll a, and b and carotenoids. They also have cell walls which are made up of cellulose and plastids which store the organism’s food reserves.
 
Coniferophyta- This phylum is known especially for its needle-shaped leaves.  They are heterosporous so the male and female gametophytes grow from different sporophytes which are generated on different cones; the pollen is located on the male cones while the naked seed is found on the larger female cones. Another characteristic of this phylum is that vascular tissue is present in all parts of the plant’s sporophyte. Also in the conifers, the sporophyte is the dominating form.  
 
Pinopsida- Gymnosperms are cone-bearing plants that lack flowers and have naked seeds without fruit.
 
Taxales- The organisms in this order are evergreens that are either trees or shrubs that usually have needle-like leaves.
 
Taxaceae- Members in the Yew family are evergreens. They’re known for their long, thin leaves that twist in a spiral pattern and thin brown bark that may have a scaly appearance. Yews are conifers so they have cones. The female cones are accompanied by red berry-like structures which are called arils.
 
Taxus- These are either trees or shrubs that can be dioecious or monoecious. They have braches which are ascending or drooping. Their seeds are brown and mature in one season.
 
Taxus brevifolia (noun)- small or medium irregularly branched tree of the Pacific coast of North America; yields fine hard close-grained wood

 

This is a more general phylogenic tree of land plants based on morphological data. The Pacific Yew is included in the gymnosperms. 

 

This is a portion of the Taxus family phylogenic tree. This information is based on molecular data.  

Check out the Habitat page to see where the Taxus brevifolia is found!