BUXUS 



some species, grow in the warmer temperate regions 

 only. B. sempervirens stands pruning very well, and 

 in the old formal gardens of Europe was formerly much 

 used for hedges, and sometimes trimmed into the most 

 fantastical shapes ; the dwarf variety is still often 

 planted for bordering flower beds. The very hard and 

 close-grained wood is in great demand for engraving 

 and finer turnery work. The Box Tree thrives in almost 

 any well-drained soil, and best in a partially shaded 

 position, Prop, by cuttings from mature wood early in 



BUXUS 



197 



fall, kept during the winter in the cool greenhouse or 

 under handlights in the open ; in more temperate re- 

 gions they may be inserted in a shady place in the open 

 air; 4-6 in. is the best size for outdoor cuttings. Layers 

 will also make good plants. The dwarf variety is usu- 

 ally propagated by division. In planting borders, It is 

 essential to insert the divided plants deeply and as firmly 

 as possible, and to give plenty of water the first time. 



Seeds are .?own soon after maturity, tout it takes a long 

 time to raise plants of good size from them. 



semp6rvirens, Linn. Common Box Tree. Fig. 292. 

 Shrub or small tree, to 25 ft. : branches quadrangular, 

 sparingly pubescent : Ivs. oval-oblong or oval, rarely 

 Touudish oval or lanceolate, usually obtuse, }4-l% in. 

 long : fls. in axillary clusters ; staminate fls. sessile, 

 with a gland half as long as the calyx in the center. S. 

 Eur., N. Afr., Orient, China. Very variable in size, 

 color and shape of the Ivs.; some of the most cultivated 

 forms are the following : Var. angustifblia, Lnud. (var. 

 longifdlia, Hort.; var. salicifntin . Hurt. ). Lvs. narrow, 

 oblong-lanceolate, usually sbnibliv. Var. arbor^Bcens, 

 Linn. Tall shrub ..r siiutli tn-e : lvs. usually oval. Var. 

 arg^nteo-marginata, lI.Tt. Lvs. edged white. Var. 

 aurea, Hort. Lvs. yill..«-. Var. ailreo-marginilta, Hort, 

 Lvs. edged yellow. Var. suHruticbsa, Linn. (var. nAna, 

 Hort.). Dwarf . Ivs. .small, oval or obovate : flowering 

 clusters usually only terminal. 



Japdnica, Muell. Arg. {B. obcordcUa, Hort. B. Fdr- 

 tunel, Hort.). Shrub, 6 ft.: lvs. cuneate, obovate or 

 roundish obovate, obtuse or emarginate at the apex, 

 i4-lii in. long, with usually pubescent petioles ; clus- 

 ters axillary ; staminate fls. sessile, with a central gland 

 as long as the calyx. China, Japan. -Nearly as hardy as 

 the former. There are also some variegated forms. 



mlcrophylla, Sieb. & Zucc. (B. Japdnica, var. micro- 

 phi'/lla, Muell. Arg.). Dwarf, often prostrate shrub, 

 quite glabrous : lvs. obovate or obovate-lanceolate, H-l 

 in. long : clusters mostly terminal ; staminate fls. ses- 

 sile, with a central gland, like the former. Japan. 



Baleirica, Willd. Shrub, 6-15 ft.: lvs. elliptic or 

 oblong, acute or obtuse at the apex, 1-2 in. long, light 

 green : clusters axillary ; staminate fls. pedicelled. S. 

 Spain, Balear.— Handsome shrub, but less hardy than 

 the former. 



B. Califomica, Lk. ■= Simmondsia Califomica.— B. Fdrtunei, 

 Hort. = B. Japonica.— 2?. Hdrlandi, Hance. Branches pubes- 

 cent : lvs. narrow obovate. emarginate, %-l% in. long. China. 

 — B. longifdlia, Boiss. Lvs. narrow-elliptic or lanceolate. 1t1% 

 in. long. Orient. China.— 7?. longifdlia. Hort. = B, sempervi- 

 rens, var. angustifolia.— /?. Wallichidna, Baill. Branches pu- 

 bescent ; lvs. linear-elliptic, 1-2% in. long. Himalayas. 



Alfred Rehdkr. 



