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Buxaceae

(Family)

Overview

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Buxaceae are a small family of four or five genera and about 90-120 species of flowering plants. They are shrubs and small trees, with a cosmopolitan distribution. A fifth genus sometimes accepted in the past (Notobuxus), has been shown by genetic studies to be included within Buxus (Balthazar et al., 2000).

The family is recognised by most taxonomists, and is sometimes known as the box family. However, its placement and circumscription has varied; some taxonomists treat Styloceras in its own family Stylocerataceae, and others have included Simmondsia (usually placed in its own family Simmondsiaceae) in Buxaceae.

The APG II system of 2003 recognises the family, but in a new circumscription in that it includes the genus Didymeles (two species of evergreen trees from Madagascar). However, APG II does allow the option of segregating this genus as family Didymelaceae, as an optional segregate. This represents a slight change from the APG system of 1998, which firmly recognised both families as separate. In both APG and APG II the family Buxaceae is unplaced as to order and left among the basal lineages of the eudicots. The AP website suggests instating the order Buxales for this family and the family Didymelaceae.

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Taxonomy

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The Family Buxaceae is further organized into finer groupings including:

Genera

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Buxus

Buxus is a genus of about 70 species in the family Buxaceae. Common names include box (majority of English-speaking countries) or boxwood (North America). [more]

Crantzia

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Didymeles

Didymeles is a genus of flowering plants. It is variously treated in the family Buxaceae, or as the only genus of the family Didymelaceae. The genus is native to Madagascar and the Comoro Islands and consists of two species of evergreen trees: [more]

Lepidopelma

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Macropodandra

[more]

Notobuxus

Buxaceae is a small of four or five genera and about 90-120 species of flowering plants. They are shrubs and small trees, with a cosmopolitan distribution. A fifth genus sometimes accepted in the past (Notobuxus), has been shown by genetic studies to be included within Buxus (Balthazar et al., 2000). [more]

Pachysandra

Pachysandra () is a genus of four or five species of evergreen groundcovers or subshrubs, belonging to the Boxwood Family, Buxaceae. The species are native to eastern Asia and southeast North America, some reaching a height of 20-45 cm, with only weakly woody stems. The leaves are alternate, leathery, with an entire to coarsely toothed margin, and range from 5-10 cm long. The name is derived from Pachys (thick) + andros (male) which is a reference to the thick stamens, the male portion of the flower. [more]

Sarcococca

Sarcococca, Sweet box, or Christmas box is a genus of 16-20 species of flowering plants in the family Buxaceae, native to eastern and southeastern Asia and the Himalaya. They are slow-growing evergreen shrubs 1-2 m tall. The leaves are borne alternately, 3-12 cm long and 1-4 cm broad. They bear fragrant flowers, often in winter. The fruit is a red or black drupe containing 1-3 seeds. Some species are cultivated for ground cover in shady areas. [more]

Styloceras

Styloceras is a genus of in family Buxaceae. It contains the following species (but this list may be incomplete): [more]

Tricera

[more]

At least 26 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Tricera.

More info about the Genus Tricera may be found here.

Sources

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Last Revised: August 24, 2012
2012/08/24 13:26:23