African Box

Buxus macowanii, a.k.a. Cape box, is an evergreen species of boxwood endemic to South Africa, where it occurs in two disjunct populations - in coastal forest and shady ravines from the Eastern Cape to southern Natal, and in the Waterberg of the central Transvaal. The genus Buxus, comprising more than 100 species, is found worldwide, but is absent from Australia.

Cape box is a small, evergreen, slow-growing tree reaching about 10m in height, with glabrous, opposite and entire leaves, some 2.5 cm long. Fruit spherical and trilete, crowned by the 3 persistent styles or horns.