Buxus sempervirens
Buxaceae
Common Box or European Box
March to May
It is found mainly in the South, the West, East Anglia and
the southern Midlands. It is scattered in the far Southwest,
the far Southeast and the North
See the BSBI distribution map for Box
Box is found as an undershrub in woodlands and thickets
on steep slopes on chalk, and in scrub on chalk downland.
It is extensively used for hedging and topiary in gardens
and often escapes and becomes naturalised in woodland.
It is thought to be native in places, such as Box Hill and
Boxley, where it has given its name to the site.
Box is a native, evergreen shrub or small tree, growing
up to 5m or more.
Flowers appear as creamy, green disks (approximately
1cm across) along the branches.
Some disks appear to have only male flowers, which
have 4 greenish sepals, 4 stamens and a rudimentary
ovary.
Other disks have female flowers superior (above) to
male flowers, 4 sepals, a 3-celled ovary with 3 thick
styles with broad, bilobed stigmas.
The 3-part capsules become light brown and woody.
The leaves are up to 2.5cm long, oval, dark green,
opposite and leathery.
The stems can be round or angular.
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Box as an undershrub in woodland, Dorset
Flowers
Stamens appear first (protandrous)
Stamens, 3 ovules, three 2-lobed stigmas
Sepals on separate male and female flowers
Female flower above (superior) male flowers
Three-part capsule, leathery leaf
Side view of open, horned capsule; angled stem
Pairs of opposite leaves
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