Yewleaf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yewleaf |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Salix
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| Species: |
taxifolia
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| Natural range of Salix taxifolia | |
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The yewleaf willow, also known as Salix taxifolia, is a type of willow plant. It can grow as a large shrub or even a small tree. Its name, "yewleaf," comes from its leaves. They are long and thin, much like the leaves of a yew tree.
This willow is found mostly in southern Mexico. It also grows along the Pacific Coast, reaching north into Sinaloa. You can find it in central Guatemala too. Sometimes, you can spot smaller groups of these willows further north. These include parts of northern Mexico and the US states of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
Where the Yewleaf Willow Grows
The main area where the yewleaf willow lives is southern Mexico. This is south of a mountain range called the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. It also grows along the Pacific coast and into central Guatemala.
Besides this main area, you can find yewleaf willows in other places. There are groups in Arizona and New Mexico, and in northeast Sonora. You can also find them in west Texas and central Chihuahua. In Chihuahua, they grow near the Conchos River and around a lake area west of the city.
Smaller groups are found in Durango, Sinaloa, and in the northeast states of Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas. They even grow in the very southern part of Baja California Sur. This is across the Gulf of California from Sinaloa and Durango.
Yewleaf Willow's Relatives
The yewleaf willow has a range that is quite similar to another willow, the Bonpland willow (S. bonplandiana). Both of these willow types grow from the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt south into central Guatemala. They both grow near the Pacific Coast.
Both species also have separate groups of plants in Arizona. These are found in a special area called the Madrean Sky Islands. The yewleaf willow is only found at the very southern tip of Baja California Sur. The Bonpland willow also grows in Arizona's Mogollon Rim and White Mountains.
There are some small differences in where they grow. The yewleaf willow can be found in a few spots in the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains. The Bonpland willow grows in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains, reaching northwest to southwest Durango. The yewleaf willow grows west of the Occidental mountains, along the southern Pacific Coast up to southern Sinaloa.
