Ep. 203 : I’ve Been Thinkin ‘Bout Yew..

<p>It started with a suggestion that I could learn a little about how to differentiate between Canada Yew (<em>Taxus canadensis</em>), Eastern Hemlock (<em>Tsuga canadensis</em>), and Balsam Fir (<em>Picea balsamifera</em>), but then it turned into a zany rabbit-hole of discovery, confusion and awe.</p> <p>This episode details a lot of the complicated information I have been coming into while trying to learn more about Canada Yew, and the Yew family, <em>Taxaceae</em>, more broadly. A beautiful family, holding long lines of mythos and medicines. I keep being challenged in my assumptions as I pull the threads of knowledge, and it excites me more and more. Even when I am confounded in my research, it still offers a lot in the way of explanations, even if it more so leaves me full of questions (hopefully to return to in the future).</p> <p>What does Canada Yew look like? How does it harm with ingested? Is it always toxic? What about the aril? What the hell is an aril? I really try to get into it, but I am only just scratching the surface.</p> <p>Here are some of the articles and papers I mentioned in the show :<br> <a href="https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.1139/B10-084" target="_blank">The ecology of Canada Yew (<em>Taxus canadensis</em> Marsh.): A review</a><br> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxine_alkaloids" target="_blank">Taxine alkaloids article on Wikipedia</a><br> <a href="https://aspcapro.org/sites/default/files/zk-vetm0905_646-650.pdf" target="_blank">Dangers of Yew Ingestion</a> pdf<br> <a href="http://omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/horses/facts/07-055.htm" target="_blank">OMAFRA (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) article “Yew Poisoning in Horses and Ruminants”</a><br> <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/63788/63788-h/63788-h.htm" target="_blank">Plants Poisonous to Livestock by Harold C. Long</a><br> <a href="https://europepmc.org/article/med/15587242" target="_blank">Incubation of European yew (Taxus baccata) with white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) rum