BUXACEAE. 115 



conspicuous slender-stalked axillary flowers ; and depressed 3- 



lobed capsules with six 3-sided pale seeds. 



Leaves elliptical, glabrescent. A. phyllanthoides. 



SECURINEGA. 



Deciduous small shrubs with slender somewhat angled 

 twigs ; relatively large rounded or angular continuous white 

 pith ; alternate small raised crescent-shaped leaf-scars with a 

 single bundle trace ; no stipule scars ; sessile ovoid buds with 

 several exposed scales ; subelliptical slender-petioled leaves ; small 

 imperfect apetalous flowers, clustered in the axils ; and small 3- 

 lobed few-seeded capsules. 

 Leaves acute at both ends, entire, pale beneath. S. ramiflora. 



Family BUXACEAE. Box Family. 



A rather small family producing the boxwood formerly much 

 used in wood-engraving, but otherwise of little use. The box 

 is the most highly esteemed plant for clipped evergreen hedges 

 where it endures the climate, and, in tubs, often takes the place 

 of laurel for formal specimens. 



Buxus. Box Tree. 



Evergreen shrubs or small trees with hard close-grained 

 wood ; slender 4-sided branches ; small roundish homogeneous 

 pith * opposite small crescent-shaped decurrent leaf-scars with 

 i transverse bundle-trace ; multiple buds with several loose 

 scales ; ovate to obovate sessile small entire leaves ; small 

 monoecious apetalous nearly sessile flowers in axillary clusters ; 

 and small 3-valved capsules. 



1. Leaves broadest at or below the middle: twigs pubescent. 2. 

 Leaves broadest above the middle : twigs glabrous. 5. 



2. Leaves green. 3. 

 Leaves variegated. 4. 



3. Leaves not glaucous. B. sempervirens 

 Leaves glaucous beneath. B. sempervirens glauca. 



4. Leaves white-bordered. B. sempervirens argentea. 

 Leaves yellow-bordered. B. sempervirens marginata. 

 Leaves yellow. B. sempervirens aurea. 



