Trees or large shrubs to 12 m tall; trunk to 3.5 m d.b.h.; winter buds ovoid, scales persistent at base of branchlets, ridged adaxially, abruptly acute at apex. Leafy branchlets "V"-shaped in cross section in living state, 3-6 × 3.5-6 cm in outline. Leaves borne at 60-90° to branchlet axis; petiole 1-1.5 mm; blade bright green adaxially, linear, almost equally wide throughout length, usually straight, 1.2-3(-3.5) cm × 1.5-2.5 mm, ± thick, midvein and stomatal bands both densely and evenly papillate abaxially, midvein ca. 0.2 mm wide abaxially, stomatal bands pale yellow, 0.6-0.7 mm wide, marginal bands 0.1-0.2 mm wide, base cuneate or shortly attenuate, usually symmetric, margin revolute (especially when dry), apex cuspidate, cusp 0.5-1 mm. Pollen cones ovoid, 6-8 mm; cone axis extended above apical bracts as a short stalk ca. 1 mm; bracts 2-ranked, proximal ones imbricate, small, distal ones pale green and semitransparent, much larger; microsporophylls pinkish brown. Seed-bearing structures axillary, sessile. Aril red when ripe. Seed columnar-oblong, ± equally wide throughout length, slightly bilaterally flattened, ca. 6.5-7 × 4.5-5 mm, obtusely ridged on 2 sides distally, apex sharply mucronate; hilum elliptic. Pollination Apr, seed maturity Sep-Nov.

An endangered species in China. In FRPS, two species of Taxus were recognized from SW China: the plants restricted to SW Xizang were identified as T. wallichiana, while those from SW Sichuan, SE Xizang, and W Yunnan were recognized as T. yunnanensis. However, Nan Li & L. K. Fu (Novon 7: 263-264. 1997) noted that critical study of types and authentic material revealed T. yunnanensis to be a synonym of T. wallichiana, and the plants identified in FRPS as T. wallichiana to be a new species, T. fuana.

Mixed forests and Pinus forests, usually in shade; 2500-3100 (-3400) m (descending to 1800 m in other parts of range of species). SW Xizang (Jilong Xian) [N India, Kashmir, Nepal, Pakistan]