\ 



euphokbiace.t:. 95 



Flowers axillary, aggref^ated into fascicles, consisting of many male 

 flowers and 1 female flower, or of male flowers only. 



The derivation of the name of this genus of plants is from tlie word ttv^oq {puxos), 

 from TTVKft^d), to grow thick or hard, in reference possibly to the hardness or closeness 

 of the wood, or the density of the foliage. The Greeks called the boxes made of this 

 wood, which wei'e highly esteemed for their durability, iiyxiden ; and hence probably 

 arose the word pyx, which is used for the chest containing the Host in the Roman 

 Catholic Church, 



SPECIES I.— BUXUS SEMPERVIRENS. Linn. 



Plate MCCLH. 



Bdch. Ic. Fl. Genu, et Helv. Vol. V. Tab. CLIII. Fig. 4808. 

 Baiui, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 639. 



Leaves coriaceous, oblong-oval, obtuse or retuse at the apex, with 

 thickened margins. Flowers in fascicles in the axils of the leaves of the 

 upper branches. Anthers oval-oblong, sagittate-cordate. Branches of 

 the year downy. 



On dry chalky hills. Very rare, and probably not indigenous in 

 most of its localities, though there appears to be some likelihood of its 

 being truly native on Boxhill, Surrey. Kent, Surrey, Bucks, and 

 Gloucester are the only counties of which there is any possibility of 

 its beino^ a oenuine native. 



England. Shrub. Spiing. 



A small much-branched tree-like shrub, in its native state 4 to 

 10 feet higb, with dark greenish grey striate rugose bark, the younger 

 branches opposite greenish and 4-angular. Leaves opposite, evergreen, 

 very shortly stalked, ^ to 1^ inch long, crowded, subdistichous, glossy 

 dark green above, paler and yellower beneath, entire on the margins. 

 Flowers yellowish white, minute. Filaments rather long; anthers 

 yellow. Capsule ovoid, with 3 horns, reticulate, ^ inch long. Seeds 

 about \ inch long, black, shining, smooth, bluntly trigonous. 



Common Box. 



French, Buis ioujours vert. German, Immergriiner BucJishaum. 



This hardy evergreen tree or shrub is well known in every garden and shrubbery. 

 It bears clipping and cutting better than almost any other tree of its size, and is well 

 adapted for hedges, or for verdant architecture and decoration. It has long been a 

 favourite in gardens, and, according to a French writer, " has the advantage of taking 

 any form that may be wished nnder the hands of the gardener." Here it display's a 

 niche cnt in an apparently solid green bank ; there, an arbour impenetrable to the rays 

 of the sun. On one side it covers a wall with tapestry of continual verdure, and on 

 the other it clothes a palisade ; now it divides the walks of a garden, and now it marks 



