Buxus citrifolia | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Buxales |
Family: | Buxaceae |
Genus: | Buxus |
Species: | B. citrifolia |
Binomial name | |
Buxus citrifolia (Willd.) Sprengel | |
Buxus citrifolia is a species of plant in the family Buxaceae. It is found in Colombia, Panama, and Venezuela. [1] 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.
The hermaphrodite shrub, having both the male and female reproductive organs in the same individual, is 3–5 m tall with a 5 cm diameter at breast height. Twigs are free from hair and somewhat tetragonal, while the angle ridges are prominent. The leaves are elliptic to narrowly elliptic-ovate while being wedge-shaped or round at the base. The leaves are 5–12 cm long, 2–5 cm wide having the sub-3-veined from the base with the outer 2 nerves forming submarginal veins. The petiole margined and 2–5 mm long.
The complete flower head of a plant including stems, stalks, bracts, and flowers, inflorescence, is short only about 1–2 cm long axillary. Cymose, definite inflorescence, with a single terminal female flower and several lateral male flowers. The bract, modified leaf, is triangular and 1–2 mm long. Pedicels of male flowers 2–4 mm long, the female flowers sessile. Flowers are white and fragrant. [2]
Buxus citrifolia has been considered similar to another species in the family Buxaceae – Buxus laevigata. B. citrifolia differs in the fact that B. laevigata – native to Jamaica – has smaller fruits and flowers. When comparing them to B. citrifolia, the elliptic leaves are broader and has more pronounced secondary venation and more marginal lateral veins. The Martinique plant has also often been confused with B. citrifolia, however, the Martinique plant has been found to have long capsule horns and bigger flowers than B. citrifolia. [3]
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.
Haptanthus is a monotypic genus containing the sole species Haptanthus hazlettii, a shrub or small tree known only from the locality of Matarras in the Arizona Municipality in Honduras. Its flowers are unique among the flowering plants. A single "female" (carpellate) flower has two branches on either side which carry "male" (staminate) flowers. The flowers are very simple, lacking obvious sepals or petals. The family placement of the genus has been uncertain, but based on molecular phylogenetic research, it is included in the family Buxaceae as of September 2014. Very few individuals have ever been found and its habitat is threatened by logging.
Codiaeum variegatum is a species of plant in the genus Codiaeum, which is a member of the family Euphorbiaceae. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. It is native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, and the western Pacific Ocean islands, growing in open forests and scrub.
Rhaphiolepis indica, the Indian hawthorn, India hawthorn or Hong Kong hawthorn is an evergreen shrub in the family Rosaceae.
Schoepfia harrisii is a species of flowering plant in the Schoepfiaceae family. It is a small tree or shrub, growing two to five metres tall. It is endemic to Jamaica, where it is only known to occur in the parishes of Trelawny and Clarendon, in what is known as Cockpit Country, a region of many steep, rounded, limestone hills, shaped like an egg-carton. Here it grows on crags in moist woodland, between 600 and 900m in elevation.
Dudleya multicaulis is a succulent plant known by the common name manystem liveforever or many-stemmed dudleya. This Dudleya is endemic to southern California, where it is rare and becoming increasingly uncommon as its habitat is altered. This plant grows few short, fingerlike cylindrical leaves with pointed tips. It is dominated by its erect peduncle, which is topped with a branching inflorescence bearing up to 15 flowers on each long, thin branch. The flowers have pointed yellow petals and long stamens.
Brunfelsia pauciflora is a species of flowering plant in the family Solanaceae, the nightshades. It is endemic to Brazil, and it is grown in cultivation. A shrubby perennial plant grown in gardens, its common names include today, tomorrow together, morning-noon-and-night, kiss me quick, and Brazil raintree.
Cryptocarya laevigata, known as the glossy laurel or red-fruited laurel, is a rainforest plant growing in eastern Australia. The natural range of distribution is rainforest understorey on fertile soils, from the Richmond River, New South Wales to Cairns in tropical Queensland. Often seen in association with the White Booyong.
Cotoneaster tenuipes is an "extremely graceful," meter-high, hirsute, deciduous cotoneaster shrub endemic to the temperate regions of China. It was named and described by botanists Alfred Rehder and E.H.Wilson in 1912.
Carex binervis, the green-ribbed sedge, is a European species of sedge with an Atlantic distribution. It is found from Fennoscandia to the Iberian Peninsula, and occurs in heaths, moorland and other damp, acidic environments. It typically grows to a height of 15–120 cm (6–50 in), and has inflorescences comprising one male and several female spikes, each up to 45 mm (1.8 in) long. The utricles have two conspicuous green veins, which give rise to both the scientific name and the common name of the species. In the vegetative state, it closely resembles C. bigelowii, a species that usually grows at higher altitude. C. binervis was first described by James Edward Smith in 1800, and is classified in Carex sect. Spirostachyae; several hybrids with other Carex species are known.
Oxylobium arborescens, commonly known as the tall shaggy-pea, is a species of flowering shrub to small tree in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has elliptic dark green leaves and yellow pea flowers.
Smilax anceps is a vigorous scrambling vine or shrub, and is one of some 278 species in the genus Smilax in the family Smilacaceae. The species is widespread in Tropical Africa, Southern Africa, Réunion, Mauritius, Comoros, and Madagascar. The specific name 'anceps' is Latin for 'dangerous', a caution against the hooked prickles. Tarundia cinctipennis Stål, 1862, a hemipteran insect, is associated with this plant.
Helanthium tenellum, the pygmy chain sword, is a species of plants in the Alismataceae. It is native to the eastern United States, southern Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America
Davidia involucrata, the dove-tree, handkerchief tree, pocket handkerchief tree, or ghost tree, is a medium-sized deciduous tree in the family Nyssaceae. It is regarded as the only species in the monotypic genus Davidia. It was previously included with tupelos in the dogwood family, Cornaceae.
Maianthemum paniculatum is a perennial flowering plant; a species of monocot found from Mexico to Panama. It is often associated with montane environments and is found primarily in forest openings and along roadsides.
Pimelea axiflora, commonly known as bootlace bush, is a small shrub in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a small shrub with whitish flowers on mostly smooth stems.
Salix cupularis is a small shrub from the genus of the willow (Salix) with 1.5 to 2.7 centimeters long leaf blades. The natural range of the species is in China.
Salix delavayana is a shrub or small tree from the genus willow (Salix) with mostly 3 to 8 centimeters long leaf blades. The natural range of the species is in the south of China and in Tibet.
Salix divergentistyla is a shrub or tree from the genus of willow (Salix) with mostly 3 to 4.5 centimeters long leaf blades. The natural range of the species is in Tibet.
Pomaderris andromedifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a shrub with lance-shaped to elliptic leaves and cream-coloured to yellow flowers.