Sarcococca

Sarcococca (sweet box or Christmas box) is a genus of 11 species of flowering plants in the box family Buxaceae, native to eastern and southeastern Asia and the Himalayas. They are slow-growing, monoecious, evergreen shrubs 1 - 2 m tall. The leaves are borne alternately, 3–12 cm long and 1–4 cm broad.

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. The basic chromosome number for genus is 14 (2n = 28).

The genus name Sarcococca comes from the Greek σάρξ (sárx) and κόκκος (kókkos) for "fleshy berry", referring to the black fruit.

Selected species

 * Sarcococca confusa Sealy – Sweet box
 * 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.