Buxus bahamensis

Buxus bahamensis Baker

Common Names: Box Wood

Family: Buxaceae

Habit: Buxus bahamensis grows as a shrub up to 4 m. in height.  The stems are squarish. The coriaceous leaves are arranged oppositely, elliptic to oblanceolate, with an acute/mucronate apex and entire margin.

The incomplete, imperfect, monoecious, actinomorphic flowers are arranged in axillary clusters.  In staminate flowers there are 4 unfused, green sepals, no corolla, 8 stamens and no carpels.  In carpellate flowers there are 4 unfused, green sepals, no corolla or stamens and a superior ovary with 3 locules and multiple ovules.  There are 3 prominent grooved stigmas but no styles.

Habitat: Buxus bahamensis grows in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Forest/Woodland/Shrublands (coppice and scrublands) and Pine Woodlands.

Distribution: Buxus bahamensis occurs on all island groupings within the Lucayan Archipelago and the Greater Antilles.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Buxus bahamensis is not known to be used medicinally in the Bahamas.