Taxus cuspidata (Japanese Yew or Spreading Yew) is a member of the genus Taxus, native to Japan, Korea, northeast China and the extreme southeast of Russia. It is an evergreen tree or large shrub growing to 10–18 m tall, with a trunk up to 60 cm diameter. The leaves are lanceolate, flat, dark green, 1–3 cm long and 2–3 mm broad, arranged spirally on the stem.
Taxus cuspidata is widely grown in eastern Asia and eastern North America as an ornamental plant. The entire yew bush is toxic enough to kill a horse, except for the fleshy berry surrounding the seed. For dogs, 2/5ths of an oz per 10 pounds of body weight is lethal. It is therefore advisable to keep domestic animals away from the plant.
New taxoids, taxuspinanane A, showing potent cytotoxic activity, and taxuspinanane B, have been isolated from the stems of Taxus cuspidata Sieb. et. Zucc. var. nana Rehder. Their structures were elucidated by extensive 2D NMR and MS spectroscopic analysis.