Japanese Nutmeg Yew

Torreya nucifera, the Japanese nutmeg yew or kaya, is a slow-growing coniferous tree native to southern Japan and to Jeju Island in South Korea. It grows 15 to 25 metres tall, with needle-like evergreen leaves ending in a sharp spine, and is subdioecious, each tree bearing mostly male or mostly female cones. Its wood is prized for Go and Shogi boards because of its yellow-gold colour, fine even rings and the sound of a stone clicking on it. Thick Go boards need ancient trees, so the finest boards can cost over 20,000 dollars, and cheaper boards are made from imitation shin-kaya, usually spruce. The seeds are edible, roasted as a snack, and pressed for oil. Extracts have been studied for acne and amoebiasis. Old trees have cultural and historic significance to the people living around them.