|
5. 'Buxus myrica' Figure 6: 1 - 6 ... var. 'myrica'. SHRUB, height 1- 3 m; BRANCHES terete; BRANCHLETS slender, quadrangular (or the uppennost twigs may appear roundish dueto the edges of the outer two opposite sides extend to embrace each other), inner two sides pubescent. LEAVES thinly coriaceous or coriacerus, oblonglanceclate or narrowly-lanceolate, 3 -7 cm long, width (0.8 - )1 - 2 cm (rarely elliptical or elliptical-oblong, width up to 2.7 cm), apex acute, acuminate, or obtuse, with a shallow indentation or with a small point protruding, base cuneate, margin curves slightly downwards, midrib protrudes on both sides of the leaf, lateral veins and veinlets commonly clear on both sides, denser and more obvious on the upper leaf surface (there are also cases where the lateral veins are barely visible on the surface, and the lateral veins and veinlets are not clear on the back of the leaf), midrib on the leaf surface and petiole both covered in minute fine hairs; PETIOLE 1 - 3 mm long. INFLORESCENCE axillary, initially 5 mm long, main pedicel very short, extends after flowering, after the male flower has dropped the rachis becomes clavate, sepals ovate, acute, 2 mm long, rachis and sepals pubescent; MALE FLOWERS: about 10, pedicel 1- 1.5 mm long, piliferous, sepals ovate, 2 - 2.5 mm long, glabrous, rudimentary pistil quadrangular, less than 1 mm high; FEMALE FLOWER: sepals ovate or ovate-elliptical, 3 mm. long. margins commonly scarious, ovary 1.5 mm. long, style flat and wide, 3.5 - 4 mm. long, apex bends outwards, or circinate, stigma narrowly-oblanceolate, decurrent to the centre of the style or lower. CAPSULE almost spherical, 0.8 - 1 cm. long, persistent style 4 - 5 mm. long, oblique, carpopodium 5 - 7 mm. long (sometimes as long as 10 mm.), with many bracts above. Flowering period January - February or March - May, fruiting period May - June or July - September. |
|