Key to the species of Cephalotaxus

1. Leaves borne at 45º–110º to branchlet axis; leaf 1–16 cm long; seed cone peduncle 2–12 mm long; seeds 1.8–2.8 cm long............ ............................................................................................................................................................................................................2

- Leaves borne at 30º–45º to branchlet axis; leaf 4–9 cm long; seed cone peduncle 1.5–2 cm long; seeds 3.5–4.5 cm long................ ............................................................................................................................................................................................ C. griffithii

2. Bark yellow, reddish grey to greyish brown.......................................................................................................................................3

- Bark light brown to reddish brown or dark reddish brown ................................................................................................................4

3. Bark yellow to greyish brown; leaf apex obtuse, shortly cuspidate; base cordate-truncate.................................................. C. oliveri

- Bark reddish grey to greyish brown; leaf apex acuminate or slightly acute or abruptly mucronate; base cuneate or rounded cuneate................................................................................................................................................................................................5

4. Bark thin, exfoliating in small or large flakes and strips, light brown to reddish brown ...................................................................6

- Bark thin, exfoliating in strips, reddish brown ...................................................................................................................................7

5. Leaf apex acuminate or slightly acute; male cones ca. 3 mm in dia ........................................................................... C. harringtonii

- Leaf apex abruptly mucronate; male cones ca. 6 mm in dia ................................................................................................... C. nana

6. Leaves borne at 70º–90º to branchlet axis, linear or slightly falcate arranged in to two rows, cuspidate apex ................... C. mannii

- Leaves borne at 45–80° to branchlet axis, linear and abruptly narrowing to a mucronate apex.................................. C. hainanensis

7. Leaves 3.5–5 mm wide; pollen cone pedunculate, 3–7 mm long peduncles; arils have numerous indistinct striations...................... ............................................................................................................................................................................................ C. fortunei

- Leaves 1.5–3.2 mm wide; pollen cone sessile or subsessile, peduncle 0–2 mm long; arils have longitudinal ridges......................... ............................................................................................................................................................................................... C. alpina