Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Paxistima myrsinites
Oregon boxleaf
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.

Habitat: Sea-level to alpine in forest understory, forest edge; balds, and rocky openings.

Flowers: April-June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Description:
General:

Glabrous, evergreen shrub 2-6 dm. tall.

Leaves:

Leaves opposite, leathery, glossy, oblong-lanceolate to oblanceolate, serrate, 1-3 cm. long.

Flowers:

Inflorescence of few-flowered, axillary cymes; flowers 3-4 mm. broad; sepals 4; petals 4, maroon; stamens 4, borne at the outer edge of a flattened disk, the ovary sunken in the disk, 2-celled; filaments equaling the anthers; style and stigma 1.

Fruits:

Capsule 3-4 mm. long, 1- or 2-seeded.

Accepted Name:
Paxistima myrsinites (Pursh) Raf.
Publication: Sylva Tellur. 42. 1838.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Ilex myrsinites Pursh
Myginda myrtifolia Nutt.
Oreophila myrtifolia (Nutt.) Torr. & A. Gray
Pachistima myrsinites Raf., orthographic variant [HC]
Paxistima myrsinites (Pursh) Raf. ssp. mexicana Navaro & W.H. Blackwell
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Paxistima myrsinites in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Paxistima myrsinites checklist entry

OregonFlora: Paxistima myrsinites information

E-Flora BC: Paxistima myrsinites atlas page

CalPhotos: Paxistima myrsinites photos

46 photographs:
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