Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus Diospyros, which also includes the persimmon tree. Few Diospyros species such as macassar and mun ebony are dense enough to sink in water. Ebony is finely textured and has a mirror finish when polished, making it valuable as an ornamental wood. It is often cited as one of the most expensive woods in the world.
The Buxales are a small order of eudicot flowering plants, recognized by the APG IV system of 2016. The order includes the family Buxaceae; the families Didymelaceae and Haptanthaceae may also be recognized or may be included in the Buxaceae. Many members of the order are evergreen shrubs or trees, although some are herbaceous perennials. They have separate "male" (staminate) and "female" (carpellate) flowers, mostly on the same plant. Some species are of economic importance either for the wood they produce or as ornamental plants.
The Buxaceae are a small family of six genera and about 123 known species of flowering plants. They are shrubs and small trees, with a cosmopolitan distribution. A seventh genus, sometimes accepted in the past (Notobuxus), has been shown by genetic studies to be included within Buxus.
Buxus sempervirens, the common box, European box, or boxwood, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Buxus, native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia, from southern England south to northern Morocco, and east through the northern Mediterranean region to Turkey. Buxus colchica of western Caucasus and B. hyrcana of northern Iran and eastern Caucasus are commonly treated as synonyms of B. sempervirens.
Beilschmiedia is a genus of trees and shrubs in family Lauraceae. Most of its species grow in tropical climates, but a few of them are native to temperate regions, and they are widespread in tropical Asia, Africa, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. The best-known species to gardeners in temperate areas are B. berteroana and B. miersii because of their frost tolerance. Seeds of B. bancroftii were used as a source of food by Australian Aborigines. Timbers of some species are very valuable.
Buxus arborea is a species of plant in the family Buxaceae. It is endemic to Jamaica. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Buxus citrifolia is a species of plant in the family Buxaceae. It is found in Colombia, Panama, and Venezuela. This interesting shrub has not been known to occur in Central America, having only been collected and/or reported in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. Buxus citrifolia is nearly extinct and has been on the endangered list.
Buxus colchica is a species of Buxus native to Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Turkey. It is threatened by habitat loss and defoliation by the caterpillars of an introduced moth species, Cydalima perspectalis.
Buxus obtusifolia is a species of plant in the family Buxaceae. It is found in Kenya and Tanzania.
Buxus microphylla, the Japanese box or littleleaf box, is a species of flowering plant in the box family found in Japan and Taiwan. It is a dwarf evergreen shrub or small tree growing to 1 m (3.3 ft) tall and wide.
Cydalima perspectalis or the box tree moth is a species of moth of the family Crambidae, first described by Francis Walker, the English entomologist, in 1859. Native to Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, far-east Russia and India, it has invaded Europe; first recorded in Germany in 2006, then Switzerland and the Netherlands in 2007, Great Britain in 2008, France and Austria in 2009, Hungary in 2011, then Romania, and Spain. It has been seen in Slovakia, Belgium and Croatia.
Boxwood blight is a widespread fungal disease affecting boxwoods, caused by Cylindrocladium buxicola. The disease causes widespread leaf loss and eventual death.
Buxus macowanii, aka Cape box, is an evergreen species of boxwood endemic to South Africa, where it occurs in two disjunct populations - in coastal forest and shady ravines from the Eastern Cape to southern Natal, and in the Waterberg of the central Transvaal. The genus Buxus, comprising more than 100 species, is found worldwide, but is absent from Australia.
Cyclobuxine is an alkaloid, which can be found in Buxus sempervirens better known as common boxwood, and is derived from the cholesterol skeleton. Alkaloids can be found in the whole plant, but the largest amounts of alkaloids including cyclobuxine can be found in the leaves and bark.
Buxus 'Green Velvet' or Green Velvet Boxwood is a hybrid boxwood cultivar. Its parent species are B. sempervirens × B. microphylla var. koreana. It is a broad, compact shrub that grows to 3 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. The leaves are evergreen, glossy and borne oppositely. It has small pale green flowers. If not pruned this shrub will develop a natural rounded shape. Buxus Green Velvet is a hybrid between Buxus sempervirens and buxus microphylla var. Koreana.
Buxus sinica, the Chinese box or small-leaved box, is a species of flowering plant in the family Buxaceae, native to central and southern China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. A shrub or small tree, in the wild it is found in a variety of habitats, usually from 600 to 2,600 m above sea level.
