Buxus microphylla Siebold & Zucc., Fl. Jap. 34. 1836 & in Abh. Akad. Muench. 4(2): 142. 1846. B. sempervirens L. var. microphylla (Siebold & Zucc.) Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 267. 1887. B. japonica Müll.Arg. var. microphylla (Siebold & Zucc.) Müll.Arg. in DC., Prodr. 16(1): 20. 1869.

Stunted shrubs, 1.5 – 2 m high; branchlets sparsely and minutely brown pubescent when young, soon glabrous. Leaves broadly elliptic, suborbicular, orbicular-spathulate to spathulateoblong or sometimes oblong, acute at base, decurrent into petioles, rounded and mucronulate at apex, 5 – 12 x 3 – 8 mm, coriaceous, glabrous or minutely brown pubescent on midrib above; lateral nerves inconspicuous; petioles 1.5 – 3 mm long, flat, minutely brown pubescent. Inflorescences axillary, glomerate; bracts suborbicular, ca 0.7 x 0.5 mm, thin. Male flowers: sessile; sepals 2 + 2, thin, suborbicular, ca 1 x 1 mm, glabrous; stamens 4; filaments ca 1 mm long; anthers oblong, ca 1 mm long; pistillode minute. Female flowers: sepals 3 + 2 – 3, suborbicular, thin, ca 1.5 x 1.2 mm, glabrous; ovary trigonous, ca 1 mm in diam.; styles 3, ca 1 mm long; stigmas suborbicular. Fruits subglobose, 7 – 10 x 7 – 9 mm, walnut brown; horns 3, erect, 3 – 5 mm long; seeds compressed-ovoid, pointed at apex, ca 5 mm long, black, glossy.

Fl. & Fr. June - Sept.7

Distrib. India: On dry rocks at 3500-4000 m altitudes. Uttarakhand.

Japan and Taiwan.