Biology:Sarcococca
Sarcococca (sweet box or Christmas box)[1][2] is a genus of flowering plants in the box family (Buxaceae). native to eastern and southeastern Asia, and the Himalayas, with one species native to Central America. They are slow-growing, monoecious, evergreen shrubs 1–2 m (3–7 ft) tall. The leaves are borne alternately, 3–12 cm long and 1–4 cm broad.
As of January 2025, the genus Sarcococca contains 15 accepted species.[3][4] The genus is predominantly native to Asia, with more than half of Sarcococca species native to China,[5] however one species (Sarcococca conzattii) is native to southern Mexico (Oaxaca) and Guatemala.[6][7]
The plants bear fragrant white flowers, often in winter. The fruit is a red or black drupe containing 1–3 seeds. Some species are cultivated as groundcover or low hedging in moist, shady areas.[8] The basic chromosome number for genus is 14 (2n = 28).[9]
The genus name Sarcococca comes from the Greek σάρξ (sárx) and κόκκος (kókkos) for "fleshy berry", referring to the black fruit.[10]
Selected species
- Sarcococca confusa Sealy – Sweet box
- Sarcococca conzattii (Standl.) I.M.Johnst.
- Sarcococca hookeriana Baill.
- Sarcococca humilis Stapf
- Sarcococca longifolia M. Cheng
- Sarcococca longipetiolata M. Cheng
- Sarcococca orientalis C. Y. Wu
- Sarcococca pruniformis (Saracodine courier)
- Sarcococca ruscifolia Stapf
- Sarcococca saligna (D. Don) Mull.-Arg.
- Sarcococca vagans Stapf
- Sarcococca wallichii Stapf
- Sarcococca zeylanica Baill.
References
- ↑ The Plant List: http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/search?q=sarcococca
- ↑ Hilliers Manual of Trees and Shrubs, Redwood Burn, 1998
- ↑ "Sarcococca Lindl. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science" (in en). https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:15885-1.
- ↑ "Sarcococca Lindl." (in en). https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-4000034031.
- ↑ "Sarcococca in Flora of China @ efloras.org". http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=129205.
- ↑ "Sarcococca conzattii (Standl.) I.M.Johnst. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science" (in en). https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:227693-2.
- ↑ Shipunov, Alexey; Lee, Hye Ji; Choi, Jinhee; Pay, Kyle; DeSpiegelaire, Sarah; Floden, Aaron (2020-08-07) (in en), Not out of the box: phylogeny of the broadly sampled Buxaceae, doi:10.1101/2020.08.03.235267, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.03.235267v2.full, retrieved 2025-01-15
- ↑ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. pp. 1136. ISBN 978-1-4053-3296-5.
- ↑ Kubitzki, Klaus (2007). The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. Vol. 9. Flowering Plants. Eudicots: Berberidopsidales, Buxales, Crossosomatales, Fabales p.p., Geraniales, Gunnerales, Myrtales p.p., Proteales, Saxifragales, Vitales, Zygophyllales, Clusiaceae Alliance, Passifloraceae Alliance, Dilleniaceae, Huaceae, Picramniaceae, Sabiaceae.. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 43. ISBN 978-3540322191. "For Sarcococca, diploids with 2n=28 (less frequently, tetraploids) are recorded."
- ↑ Coombes, Allen J. (2012). The A to Z of plant names. USA: Timber Press. pp. 312. ISBN 978-1-60469-196-2. https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781604691962/page/312.
Wikidata ☰ Q3009215 entry
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