BUXUS 277 



not so shining as in B. sempervirens, pale green beneath ; stalk slightly 

 downy, T V in. long. Flowers yellowish green, of no beauty ; males shortly 

 stalked. 



Native of the Balearic Islands and the south-west of Spain. The 

 species is easily distinguished from the common box by the duller, larger 

 leaves, the thicker, more robust shoots, and the sturdier habit. The largest 

 specimen I know in this country is at Kew, near the Temple of the Sun, 

 and now about 24 ft. high, its trunk 2\ ft. in girth. It grows slowly, and is 

 probably the oldest in the country. Loudon mentioned this tree, which once 

 grew on the wall of a house, as being 13 ft. high in 1836. Aiton gives 1780 

 as the date of its introduction. In the gardens of S. Europe it takes the place 

 that B. sempervirens does here. 



B. HARLANDII, Hance. HARLAND'S Box. 



(B. chinensis, Hort.~) 



A dwarf evergreen bush, of rounded, compact habit, not likely, so far as one 

 is at present able to judge, to get more than 2 or 3 ft. high ; shoots slender, 

 mostly erect, slightly downy when young. Leaves standing erect, narrowly 

 oblong or obovate, |to i^ins. long, tof in. wide, tapering at the base, rounded 

 at the apex, smooth. 



Native of China. This is one of the dwarfest of the boxes, and somewhat 

 similar to B. sempervirens var. suffruticosa, the " Edging Box," but its leaves are 

 longer. Its neat and slow growth would make it useful in positions where a 

 dwarf evergreen is needed, but Wilson says the true thing is quite tender. 



B. JAPONICA, Mueller. JAPANESE BOX. 



A loose-habited evergreen shrub, 3 />r 4 ft. high ; young stems smooth, 

 square, conspicuously winged. Leaves \ to f in. long, roundish obovate or 

 inversely heart-shaped, sometimes as broad as long, tapered at the base, 

 rounded or notched at the apex, smooth except for a slight down on the stalk 

 when young. Flowers produced very freely in March and April, but of no 

 beauty. 



Native of Japan, and in my experience the least ornamental of the boxes. 

 It has an ungainly habit, and has not the healthy, vigorous aspect one associates 

 with the genus. The roundish leaves, winged stems, and absence of down are 

 its distinguishing features. It also flowers more freely than any other species. 



B. MICROPHYLLA, Siebold. SMALL-LEAVED BOX. 



This pleasing little box resembles one of the small forms of B. sempervirens, 

 but its stems and leaves are quite smooth. It is a compact shrub, probably not 

 more than 3 or 4 ft. high, and slow-growing ; stems square. Leaves \ to f in. 

 wide ; obovate or oval, notched or rounded at the apex, tapering at the base. 

 Compared with B. Harlandii the habit is more open, the leaves more spreading. 

 The typical B. microphylla has smooth young shoots, but a box from China, 

 very similar, has downy shoots and is probably the var. SINICA, Rehd. and Wils. 



Native of Japan, and in most of its botanical characters similar to 

 B. japonica, but a better garden plant. 



B. SEMPERVIRENS, Linnceus. COMMON Box. 



An evergreen bush usually wider than it is high, or a small tree 15 to 20 

 (or even 30) ft. high ; young stems square, slightly winged, minutely hairy. 

 Leaves ovate, oval or oblong, notched at the apex, to I in. long, about half 



