Contemporary Circumscription Compared with A Utah Flora 4th ed.

Bio430

Taxaceae

No differences.

Key Features

Taxaceae are trees to shrubs with a fleshy aril covering the single seeds.  An aril arises from tissue outside the ovule, so it is not really part of the seed -- it is also different from fruit (which are only found in angiosperms).  Leaves are decurrent on the stems, more or less distichous and flat.  The family also mostly lacks resin canals.  Reproductively, Taxaceae are monoecious or dioecious.