Bristlecone Pine vs Catkin Yew

Pinus longaeva compared with Amentotaxus argotaenia

Key Differences

• Bristlecone Pine is Least Concern while Catkin Yew is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bristlecone Pine	Catkin Yew
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Coniferophyta (Conifers)	Coniferophyta (Conifers)
Class same	Pinopsida (Conifers)	Pinopsida (Conifers)
Order same	Pinales (Pines & Allies)	Pinales (Pines & Allies)
Family	Pinaceae (Pine Family)	Taxaceae
Genus	Pinus (Pines)	Amentotaxus
Species	Pinus longaeva	Amentotaxus argotaenia

Evolutionary Relationship

Bristlecone Pine and Catkin Yew share a common ancestor at the Order level: Pinales. (Pines & Allies)

Conservation Status

Bristlecone Pine

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Catkin Yew

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bristlecone Pine	Catkin Yew
Diet	Autotroph	—
Average Lifespan	5000 years	—
Average Length	15.0 m	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bristlecone Pine

Habitat

Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.

Range

Found in United States.

Catkin Yew

Habitat

Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.

Bristlecone Pine

The oldest known living individual tree on Earth, the Great Basin bristlecone pine can live over 5,000 years in the harsh, windswept subalpine environments of the White Mountains of California and the Great Basin region. Their extreme longevity is linked to slow metabolism, dense resinous wood resistant to decay and insects, and harsh high-altitude conditions that limit competition. Tree ring records from bristlecone pines have provided an invaluable climate proxy record extending back thousands of years.

Catkin Yew

The Catkin Yew (Amentotaxus argotaenia) is a species in the genus Amentotaxus. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.