Torreya

…An evergreen conifer of the Taxaceae family found scattered throughout forests in warm regions (illustration). Large trees are often seen in the precincts of shrines and temples. It is a tall tree that can grow up to 25m tall, with opposite twigs. The leaves are spiral, but on the lateral branches they form two rows, are linear, 1.5-2.5cm long, and have sharp tips that hurt when touched. It is dioecious, blooming in April-May. The male flowers are elliptical and solitary in the axils of the previous year's branches, and the stamens are numerous and arranged in four whorls, while the female flowers are two on each of the lower axils of the new branches. Only one of these ripens like a stone fruit in the autumn of the following year, elliptical and about 3cm long. …

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "Torreya" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…暖地の森林中に散生するイチイ科の常緑針葉樹（イラスト）。社寺の境内などにしばしば大木を見る。高さ25mにもなる高木で，小枝は対生する。葉は螺生（らせい）するが横枝では2列状となり，線形で長さ1.5～2.5cm，先はとがって触ると痛い。雌雄異株で，4～5月に開花し，雄花は前年枝の葉腋（ようえき）に単生して楕円形，おしべは4輪生して多数，雌花は新枝の下部葉腋に2個ずつつく。このうち1個のみが翌年の秋に石果様に熟し，楕円形で長さ約3cm。…

※「Torreya」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報