1000-year-old ancient tree found in central China

　　CHANGSHA, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- A taxus chinensis tree believed to be more than 1,300 years old has been found during an ancient tree census in central China's Hunan Province, local authorities said on Thursday.

　　The living tree is located in Shunhuangshan National Forest Park in Dong'an County in the city of Yongzhou. It has a height of 35 meters and a diameter of 2.2 meters, according to the county's forestry bureau.

　　There are two subtrees on both sides of the taxus chinensis, also known as a Chinese Yew, aged more than one-thousand-year old.

　　All the three ancient trees have been well preserved by local villagers.

　　The Taxus chinensis is an endangered plant which has existed for 2.5 million years. It produces few seeds and survives only in warm, moist areas. Since large numbers of the tree have been felled to extract taxol, which is often used to treat cancer, the species is now under the first-grade national protection for endangered plants.

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　　1000-year-old ancient tree found in central China

　　English.news.cn 2015-11-05 18:34:18

　　CHANGSHA, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- A taxus chinensis tree believed to be more than 1,300 years old has been found during an ancient tree census in central China's Hunan Province, local authorities said on Thursday.

　　The living tree is located in Shunhuangshan National Forest Park in Dong'an County in the city of Yongzhou. It has a height of 35 meters and a diameter of 2.2 meters, according to the county's forestry bureau.

　　There are two subtrees on both sides of the taxus chinensis, also known as a Chinese Yew, aged more than one-thousand-year old.

　　All the three ancient trees have been well preserved by local villagers.

　　The Taxus chinensis is an endangered plant which has existed for 2.5 million years. It produces few seeds and survives only in warm, moist areas. Since large numbers of the tree have been felled to extract taxol, which is often used to treat cancer, the species is now under the first-grade national protection for endangered plants.