Basque mythological tree: Hagina

1994/10/01 Terés, Joxepo Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Botanika

This tree has a marked irregular branching. Despite reaching a height of up to 20 meters, it is often shrub-like. Its cup is pyramidal and quite wide. Numerous ramifications are almost horizontal, being able to start irregularly. Its shape, dark green, thick trunks (gray or reddish brown, often impregnated in long thin strips), highlight this beautiful tree. Persistent, yellowish green leaves below. Yew is a dioecious species. The male feet give flowers in leaf armpits, cones.

The flowers of the female legs (fry) are at the ends of the short peduncle that are born in the leaf axils. With a fleshy and red wrapper (seed aryl) that completely covers the seed when ripening takes the form of a red and eye-catching fruit. It flowers in late winter or early spring and the fruits ripen in late summer of the same year or in autumn. As for its extension, it is distributed in most of Europe, in Western Asia and in North Africa, and is relatively reduced in any type of soil. As for the Basque Country, it is dispersed in mountainous areas, prone to calcareous soils. Highlights the beauty and uniqueness of some specimens.

Its wood is very hard and compact. Both in furniture and around is very used and appreciated. On the other hand, it has long been used as an ornamental shrub and various varieties of activity are known.

The parts of this tree, except for the red aryl that surrounds the seed, are very toxic and, however, its leaves are used as emenologists and the seeds as narcotics.

It is a tree related to the mythology of our country. According to legends, in the wars against the Romans, the Basque warriors lowered their arrows with the poison obtained from this tree. On the other hand, it is said that when they were taken prisoner, they took a narcotic obtained from fruits before they died.

Technical information Yew Family: taxaceae Species: Distribution: individualized: Habitat: Medicinal Zone: yes. Toxic