EUPHORBIACE.^ 



Floivers light yellow, small, inconspicuous, monoecious, in a glomerule ; 

 Males, Sepals 4 ; Stamens 4 ; Females, Ovary 3-celled ; Fruit a 3-valved 

 capsule. 



Leaves opposite, oblong-elliptical, emarginate, coriaceous, cartilaginous 

 margin, yellowish-green, 1^-2 ins. long. 



An evergreen shinib or small tree, 15-20 ft. 



Native of Balearic Islands and other parts of S. Europe ; introduced 

 1780. 



COMMON BOX, Buxiis sempervirem. 



Parks, gardens, chalk hills. April — June. 



Flowers greenish-white, monoecious, usually entomophilous, small, incon- 

 spicuous, in an axillary cluster {glomei-ule), several unibracteate male flowers, and 

 1-2 females with 3 bracteoles ; Males, Perianth small, 4 segments ; Stamens 4, 

 opposite perianth lobes, hypogynous, around a rudimentary ovary, anthers didy- 

 mous, introrse, filaments stout ; Females, Perianth 6-12 segments in whorls of 3 ; 

 Ovary globose, superior, 3-ceUed, styles 3, stigmas 3, obtuse, proterogynous ; 

 Fruit a 3-valved capsule, ovoid, sessile, hard, coriaceous, ^ in. long, ending in 

 3 stiff' short beaks, 1-2 black shiny seeds in each cell. 



Leaves sub-opposite, ovate or oblong, sub-sessile, obtuse or retuse, convex, 

 coriaceous, shining, exstipulate, ^-1 in. long ; petioles slightly hairy at 

 edges. 



An evergreen shrub, or small tree, 15-20 ft. ; slow of growth ; Branches 

 slender, glabrous, downy when young, erect or drooping ; Tivigs more or less 

 4-angled ; Bark rough, grey ; Old Stems often twisted ; Buds very small ; 

 Groivth very slow; JFood yellow, with very fine grain, hard, heavy, will not 

 float, susceptible of high polish ; used for engraving, tools, and carving. 



Indigenous in chalky districts of Southern and Central England. 



Name is A.S. box = Box-tree ; L. buxi/s ; Gr. pyxas. 



Leaves sometimes sprinkled with Box Leaf-rust {Puccinia Buxi). 



135 M 2 



