Paxistima myrsinites
Celastraceae
Oregon Boxwood
Ascending to spreading shrub. Stems stiff, reddish brown to brown, 4-angled with corky ridges, densely branched. Leaves dark green, opposite, evergreen, leathery, oval to egg-shaped, serrate, 1/4–1 1/2 in. long. Flowers tiny, 1–3 held in clusters on upper stem, 4 red-brown petals. Grows in shaded woods, openings, at edges of meadows, at all mid elevations.
- Rarity: Common
- Flowering Time: Early Summer
- Flower Form: Petals 4, overy below
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- Height: 1–2 feet
- Habitat: East-side Forest, West-side Forest
- Found In: Crater Lake NP, Mt. Rainier NP, N Cascades NP, Olympic NP, Siskiyous, Wallowas, West Gorge
- Native: Yes
- Also Known As: Myrtle Boxwood
- Latin Synonyms: Pachystima myrsinites
