Florida torreya Taxaceae Torreya taxifolia

Leaf:Evergreen, linear-lanceolate flat needles, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, two-ranked when produced in the shade, stiff with a very sharp point, shiny green above and 2 pale lines below. Strong odor when crushed.
Flower:Species is dioecious; male flowers are small, elliptical, pale yellow, and occur at the base of the leaves; female flowers are tiny, consisting of an ovule surrounded by a fleshy sac and are borne on current year twigs, appear in early spring.
Fruit:A fleshy aril, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long; similar to a very large olive with a fleshy, leathery outer green covering and an inner, yellow-brown, thick walled seed. Takes two years to mature.
Twig:Slender, green when young turning reddish brown as they mature.
Bark:Mature bark is thin, orange-brown with shallow, irregular fissures and shreddy strips.
Form:Now only found as a sprouting shrub reaching a few feet tall. It once reached heights of 50 to 60 feet and over 1 foot in diameter with a conical or rounded crown depending on age.

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