18 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



covered by a fleshy aril, but slightly developed and solely of 



umbilical origin. 1 



The Boxes are shrubs or small trees, which inhabit Europe, Asia, 

 Eastern Africa, Central America, and especially the Antilles : some 

 twenty species 2 are known. 



Jioxus semperrirens. 



Fig. 31. Female flower {f). 



Fig. 34. Dehiscent fruit. 



Fig. 33. Long. sect, of 

 female flower. 



Their leaves are opposite, entire, without stipules, the organs de- 

 scribed as such being only the first pairs of leaves of the branches 

 often reduced to small scalelike or bractiform tongues. Sometimes 

 the axillary buds are multiple and superposed, being more voluminous 

 the higher they are situated. The flowers, most frequently monoecious, 



Pacliysmidra procumbens. 

 Ml, 



Fig. 35. Inflorescence. 



Fis 



, 36. Male flower in bloom. 



are collected in false umbels or in false capitules. The female flowers 

 are sometimes solitary ; or one of them more generally occupies the 

 centre of the inflorescence, enveloped by several imbricate bracts, in 

 many series, similar to the sepals, and surrounded by the male 



1 On its mode of development, see H. Bn. Godr. Fl. de Fr. iii. 101. — W. Spec. iv. 337. — 

 Monogr. JBuxac. et Slyloc. 35. A. Rich, Fl. Cub.t. 71 (Tricera). — Guises. Fl. 



2 Thumb. Fl. Jap. 77.— Duham. Arbr. i. 82. Brit. W.-lnd. 31.— Boiss. Diagn. PL Or. xxii. 

 Reichb. Ic. Fl. Geem. v. t. 153. — Gren. et 107.— H. Bn. Buxac. 58 ; Adansonia, xi. 268. 



