Examine a twig noting the fasicles or short shoots, borne in the axils of minute brown scale leaves that are formed on the long shoots. Each fascile is a reduced short shoot that forms a number of scale leaves, then one whorl of 1-5 needle leaves, depending on the species. No further leaves are formed but the fascicle lives for several years. The basal sheath of scale leaves persists in some species, but is soon shed in others. Yews differ from the other conifers in that their seeds are borne in fleshy structures called arils, rather than in cones or strobili.
Yew wood is strong yet flexible and so makes good handles and bows.
Use your text to review the life cycle of a pine. Pine cones take two full years to mature since nearly a year elapses between pollination and fertilization. In most conifers the cones mature in a single year. Except for the extra year, however, its life cycle is very similar to that of the rest of the conifers. Pollen cones of most conifers produce pollen in the spring and then wither and fall off of the tree.