Buxus colchica

Buxus colchica, Sataplia Nature Park, Georgia

The Colchian boxwood ( Buxus colchica ) is a species of the genus boxwood (Buxus ). It is common in the Caucasus and Asia Minor. The name refers to the ancient landscape of Colchis on the Black Sea, the main distribution area of this kind in their Georgian home of the Georgian trivial name " Kolchuri Bsa " კოლხური ბზა is used.

Description

The Colchian boxwood grows as evergreen shrub or tree, reaching a height of 2 to 12 meters. The mostly opposite arranged leaves are leathery and hairless. The leaf blade is ovate to lance-shaped and reaches a length of 1 to 3 centimeters. The leaves are dark green on top and light green underneath. The yellow- green flowers grow in capitate inflorescences in the leaf axils. The Colchian boxwood flowers from February to April. The ovate to spherical fruit capsule contains six seeds.

The chromosome number is 2n = 28

Location and distribution

The Colchian boxwood often grows as undergrowth in the humid forests Colchian. It is found in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Russia and Turkey from the Black Sea down to about 1800 meters. He is listed in the IUCN Red List due to the decline of suitable habitats as Near Threatened ( " Lower Risk / near threatened "). It is noted, however, that a re-examination of risk is necessary.

Diseases

Since about 2010, spreading the boxwood fungus Cylindrocladium buxicola also in Georgia. He threatened there, the stocks of Colchian Buchsbaums in various protected areas in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara ( National Park Colchis, Protected landscape of Kintrishi and National Park of Mtirala ), where the disease has already occurred. On April 25, 2012, therefore, addressed the Agriculture Committee of the Georgian Parliament with the topic.