Paxistima myrsinites
Oregon Boxleaf (Boxwood)

Family: Celastraceae (Staff-Tree family)

Photo taken in Icicle Canyon, dry openly wooded slope

Flowers:

complete and regular, axillary; flowers 3 to 4 mm broad, inconspicuous; petals maroon, more or less 1 mm; 4 numerous except for the singular pistil

Fruit:

capsules 3 to 7 mm, 1 to 2 seeded; seeds dark brown

Leaves:

opposite; leathery and glossy; ovate to oblanceolate, serrate, tip rounded to acute; 8 to 40 mm long

Plant:

evergreen; prostate to spreading; densely branched, glabrous; 20 to 60 cm tall

Habitat:

mostly middle elevations in mountains, but also near the coast in western Washington

Distribution of species:

British Columbia to California, east to Rocky Mountain states, and also in northern Mexico

Distribution of genus:

2 species: North America