Torreya californica is a species of conifer endemic to California, occurring in the Pacific Coast Ranges and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. It is commonly known as California torreya or California nutmeg tree. It is one of only two species of genus Torreya that are native to North America. A slow-growing subcanopy tree, it is listed as "vulnerable" in the IUCN Red List.
Torreya californica
Torreya californica resprouts after wildfire killed their main stems (yellow), but not their root crowns, along this trail in Stevenson State Park, Calif. April 2019.
Image: Torreya californica sapling Sequoia national park
Image: Torreya californica in Yosemite National Park 02
Torreya is a genus of conifers comprising six or seven species placed in the family Taxaceae, though sometimes formerly placed in Cephalotaxaceae. Four species are native to eastern Asia; the other two are native to North America. They are small to medium-sized evergreen trees reaching 5–20 m, rarely 25 m, tall. Common names include nutmeg yew.
Torreya
Ripe seeds of Torreya taxifolia
Image: Torreya californica in a Coast Range forest near Calistoga 02
Image: Torreya californica in Yosemite National Park 02
