Buxus L.

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.

Morphology General Habit

Small, usually much branched trees and shrubs; glabrous throughout Small, usually much branched trees and shrubs; glabrous throughout.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, entire, coriaceous Leaves opposite, entire, coriaceous.

Distribution

A genus of c. 30 species, sometimes split into several genera or divided into a complex infrageneric classification (see discussion of the African taxa in Friis in Kew Bull. 44: 293–299 (1989)), widely distributed in tropical and South Africa and on Madag

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female flowers with 4–6 perianth segments; staminodes absent; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, thick, grooved and with recurved stigmatic part; ovules 2 per locule. Female flowers with 4–6 perianth segments; staminodes absent; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, thick, grooved and with recurved stigmatic part; ovules 2 per locule Male flowers with 4 perianth segments, 2 outer and 2 inner ones, equal or unequal; stamens 4–6(10), usually opposite a perianth segment or more stamens at each perianth segment; anthers sessile, subsessile or on clearly distinguishable filaments, dorsifixed near the base, opening by longitudinal slits; rudimentary ovary truncate or 3-lobed at apex or absent Flowers in short compact spikes, often consisting of a terminal female flower subtended by bracts in the axils of which are 2–4 male flowers, or each inflorescence unisexual Male flowers with 4 perianth segments, 2 outer and 2 inner ones, equal or unequal; stamens 4–6(10), usually opposite a perianth segment or more stamens at each perianth segment; anthers sessile, subsessile or on clearly distinguishable filaments, dorsifixed near the base, opening by longitudinal slits; rudimentary ovary truncate or 3-lobed at apex or absent. Flowers in short compact spikes, often consisting of a terminal female flower subtended by bracts in the axils of which are 2–4 male flowers, or each inflorescence unisexual.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit capsular, dehiscing loculicidally, valves each with 2 apical, horn-like projections, representing remains of the styles; endocarp hard, separating from exocarp at maturity. Fruit capsular, dehiscing loculicidally, valves each with 2 apical, horn-like projections, representing remains of the styles; endocarp hard, separating from exocarp at maturity

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds usually 3-ridged or ovoid-oblong, with black, shiny testa. Seeds usually 3-ridged or ovoid-oblong, with black, shiny testa.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Small, usually much-branched, glabrous trees and shrubs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, entire, leathery

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Flowers in short, compact spikes, mostly consisting of a terminal female flower subtended by bracts in the axils of which 2–4 male flowers, or each inflorescence unisexual

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Male flowers with 4 tepals, 2 outer and 2 inner ones, equal or unequal; stamens 4–6(–10), each opposite a tepal or more stamens at each tepal; anthers sessile, subsessile or on filaments, dorsifixed near the base, opening by longitudinal slits; rudimentary ovary truncate or 3-lobed at apex or absent Female flowers with 4–6 tepals; staminodes absent; ovary 3-celled; styles 3; ovules 2 per cell

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a capsule, dehiscing loculicidally, valves each with 2 apical horn-like projections representing remains of the styles; endocarp hard, separating from softer exocarp at maturity

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds usually 3-ridged or ovoid-oblong, with black, shining testa.

Note

Genus of c. 30 species, sometimes split into several genera or, alternatively, divided into a complex infrageneric classification The species of Buxus in Africa fall into three fairly well defined groups which have been regarded as distinct genera, see Friis (1989). B. hildebrandtii belongs to Buxus sect. Tricera (Schreb.) Baill.

Distribution

Widely distributed in tropical and southern Africa and on Madagascar, in central America, and in Eurasia.

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences or the lateral male flowers arise directly from the stem, not in the axils of bracts below the female flower, the androecium consists of 4 sessile or subsessile anthers, the rudimentary pistillode is usually, but not always absent, and the pollen is of the so-called B macowanii type The species of this group are associated with forest in southern Africa (B macowanii Oliv in the eastern Cape, B benguellensis Gilg in Angola and B nyasica Hutch in Malawi), and with evergreen scrub and more open vegetation in Madagascar (B madagascarica Baill.).

Buxaceae, B. Verdcourt (East African Herbarium). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1962

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers subfasciculate or in short cymes, consisting of a solitary sessile or subsessile ♀ flower subtended by two bracts, surrounded by a few pedicellate, bracteate ♂ flowers ; or rarely the entire inflorescence composed of ♂ flowers Male flowers : sepals 4, obovate or orbicular, the outer narrower and subcucculate ; stamens usually 6, in two series, the outer series of 2, each opposite an outer sepal, the inner series of 4, each pair opposite an inner sepal ; anthers sessile ; rudimentary ovary absent Female flowers : sepals 4 ; styles 3, thick, grooved and recurved ; ovules 2 per loculus

sex Male

Male flowers : sepals 4, obovate or orbicular, the outer narrower and subcucculate ; stamens usually 6, in two series, the outer series of 2, each opposite an outer sepal, the inner series of 4, each pair opposite an inner sepal ; anthers sessile ; rudimentary ovary absent

sex Female

Female flowers : sepals 4 ; styles 3, thick, grooved and recurved ; ovules 2 per loculus

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit capsular, dehiscing loculicidally ; valves each with 2 apical horn-like projections

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds keeled.

Morphology General Habit

Small trees or shrubs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, entire, chartaceous or coriaceous

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences with an apical female flower and a number of lower male pedicellate flowers, in these one or two extra stamens occur at the relatively broad inner pair of perianth segments, making a total of 5–6, the anthers are sessile or subsessile, a rudimentary pistillode is absent, and the pollen is of a type termed the Notobuxus type The species are closely related, and are as a group associated with lowland rain forest Buxus acutata Friis (Notobuxus acuminata (Gilg) Hutch.) in W Africa to Dem Rep Congo, B cordata (Radcl.-Sm.) Friis in Tanzania (Usambara Mts.), B obtusifolia (Mildbr.) Hutch in the coastal forests of Kenya and Tanzania, and B natalensis (Oliv.) Hutch in coastal forest of Natal.