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The boxes are native to western and southern [[Europe]], southwest, southern and eastern [[Asia]], [[Africa]], [[Madagascar]], northernmost [[South America]], [[Central America]], [[Mexico]] and the [[Caribbean]], with the majority of species tropical or subtropical; only the European and some Asian species are [[frost]]-tolerant. Centres of diversity occur in [[Cuba]] (about 30 species), China (17 species) and Madagascar (9 species).
The boxes are native to western and southern [[Europe]], southwest, southern and eastern [[Asia]], [[Africa]], [[Madagascar]], northernmost [[South America]], [[Central America]], [[Mexico]] and the [[Caribbean]], with the majority of species tropical or subtropical; only the European and some Asian species are [[frost]]-tolerant. Centres of diversity occur in [[Cuba]] (about 30 species), China (17 species) and Madagascar (9 species).


They are slow-growing [[evergreen]] [[shrub]]s and small [[tree]]s, growing to 2-12 m (rarely 15 m) tall. The [[leaf|leaves]] are opposite, rounded to lanceolate, and leathery; they are small in most species, typically 1.5-5 cm long and 0.3-2.5 cm broad, but up to 11 cm long and 5 cm broad in ''B. macrocarpa''. The flowers are small and yellow-green, [[plant sexuality|monoecious]] with both sexes present on a plant. The [[fruit]] is a small capsule 0.5-1.5 cm long (to 3 cm in ''B. macrocarpa''), containing several small [[seed]]s.
They are slow-growing [[evergreen]] [[shrub]]s and small [[tree]]s, growing to 2-12 m (rarely 15 m) tall. The [[leaf|leaves]] are opposite, rounded to lanceolate, and leathery; they are small in most species, typically 1.5-5 cm long wewe and 0.3-2.5 cm broad, but up to 11 cm long and 5 cm broad in ''B. macrocarpa''. The flowers are small and yellow-green, [[plant sexuality|monoecious]] with both sexes present on a plant. The [[fruit]] is a small capsule 0.5-1.5 cm long (to 3 cm in ''B. macrocarpa''), containing several small [[seed]]s.


The genus splits into three genetically distinct sections, each section in a different region, with the Eurasian species in one section, the African (except northwest Africa) and Madagascan species in the second, and the American species in the third. The African and American sections are genetically closer to each other than to the Eurasian section (Balthazar et al., 2000).
The genus splits into three genetically distinct sections of the dick, each section in a different region, with the Eurasian species in one section, the African (except northwest Africa) and Madagascan species in the second, and the American species in the third. The African and American sections are genetically closer to each other than to the Eurasian section (Balthazar et al., 2000).


===Selected species===
===Selected species===

Revision as of 18:08, 2 December 2008

For the asteroid, see 8852 Buxus.
"Boxtree" redirects here. For the publisher, see Macmillan Publishers.

Buxus
Common Box Buxus sempervirens
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
Division:
Magnoliophyta
Class:
Magnoliopsida
Order:
Buxales
Family:
Buxaceae
Genus:
Buxus

Species

About 70 species; see text

Buxus sempervirens
Buxus sinica foliage
Buxus henryi foliage
Buxus wallichiana foliage and seed capsules
Buxus sempervirens bark
Buxus sempervirens bark closeup

Buxus is a genus of about 70 species in the family Buxaceae. Common names include box (majority of English-speaking countries) or boxwood (North America).

The boxes are native to western and southern Europe, southwest, southern and eastern Asia, Africa, Madagascar, northernmost South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean, with the majority of species tropical or subtropical; only the European and some Asian species are frost-tolerant. Centres of diversity occur in Cuba (about 30 species), China (17 species) and Madagascar (9 species).

They are slow-growing evergreen shrubs and small trees, growing to 2-12 m (rarely 15 m) tall. The leaves are opposite, rounded to lanceolate, and leathery; they are small in most species, typically 1.5-5 cm long wewe and 0.3-2.5 cm broad, but up to 11 cm long and 5 cm broad in B. macrocarpa. The flowers are small and yellow-green, monoecious with both sexes present on a plant. The fruit is a small capsule 0.5-1.5 cm long (to 3 cm in B. macrocarpa), containing several small seeds.

The genus splits into three genetically distinct sections of the dick, each section in a different region, with the Eurasian species in one section, the African (except northwest Africa) and Madagascan species in the second, and the American species in the third. The African and American sections are genetically closer to each other than to the Eurasian section (Balthazar et al., 2000).

Selected species

Europe, northwest Africa, Asia
Africa, Madagascar
Americas

Symbolism and uses

The white pieces are made of boxwood. The black piece is ebony.

Boxes are commonly used for hedges and topiary. Owing to the relatively high density of the wood (it is one of the few woods that is denser than water), boxwood is often used for chess pieces. Wooden chess sets almost always use boxwood for the white pieces and commonly use stained ("ebonized") boxwood for the black pieces, in lieu of ebony[1].

References

Balthazar, M. von, Peter K. Endress, P. K., and Qiu, Y.-L. 2000. Phylogenetic relationships in Buxaceae based on nuclear internal transcribed spacers and plastid ndhF sequences. Int. J. Plant Sci. 161(5): 785–792 (available online).

  1. ^ The Chess Zone - Chess Piece Materials

Nurseries

North America
Australasia


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