Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Taxus nucifera in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 1040 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
Today: The current name for this species is Torreya nucifera (L.) Siebold & Zucc.
original Latin description
Taxus foliis distantibus.
English translation
Taxus with leaves distant [from each other].
| Taxus | Taxus |
| with leaves | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| distant [from each other]. | distantibus - ablative plural neuter of present active participle of first conjugation verb disto, distare, —, — |