Review on the distribution and conservation of Taxus globosa Schltdl. (Taxaceae) in Mexico

Abstract

Taxus globosa is a conifer that has been little studied from the biological, ecological and reproductive point of view. It produces a pseudo-alkaloid called taxol, which acts against various types of cancer, including ovarian and breast cancer. In Mexico, this species is cataloged under special protection in the Mexican Official Norm NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, which implies that it could be threatened by negative factors that affect its distribution, development and regeneration. At the international level, it is included in the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (UICN) as an endangered species. Therefore, it is necessary to know the range of distribution of the natural populations and understand their mechanisms of regeneration and propagation in order to develop technologies that will allow their domestication and production. The present review has compiled the bibliographic information on T. globosa and its current and potential distribution, and reviews the conditions of the populations, the association with other plant species, the number of juvenile and adult individuals, and aspects related to their regeneration and their conservation status, in order to identify the research lines of this forest resource, which contributes to the conservation and sustainable use of this species.