Pachysandra

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Ordo: Buxales

Familia: Buxaceae
Tribus: Stylocerateae
Genus: Pachysandra
Species: P. axillaris – P. procumbens – P. terminalis – †P. europaea
Name

Pachysandra Michx., 1803.

Typus: P. procumbens
Michx.

References

Michaux, A. 1803. Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 177.
Hassler, M. 2019. Pachysandra. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2019. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Jul. 14. Reference page.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2019. Pachysandra in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Jul 14 {{{3}}}. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2019. Pachysandra. Published online. Accessed: Jul 14 2019.
The Plant List 2013. Pachysandra in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Jul 14.
Tropicos.org 2019. Pachysandra. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Jul 14.

Vernacular names
suomi: Varjoyrtit
polski: Runianka

Pachysandra /ˌpækiˈsændrə/[1] is a genus of five species of evergreen perennials or subshrubs, belonging to the boxwood family Buxaceae. The species are native to eastern Asia and southeast North America, some reaching a height of 20–45 cm (7.9–17.7 in), with only weakly woody stems. The leaves are alternate, leathery, with a coarsely toothed margin, and are typically 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) long. The small uni-sexual blooms are greenish-white and produced in late spring or early summer.[2]
Variegated Jade among Pachysandra. Pachysandra is often used as a ground cover.

Etymology

Pachysandra is derived from the Ancient Greek word παχύς (pachýs, 'thick') and the New Latin -androus ('of or pertaining to stamens'), and is a reference to the thick stamens.[3][4]
Species

Pachysandra axillaris - China
Pachysandra coriacea (sometimes classified as Sarcococca coriacea) - India, Nepal, Myanmar
Pachysandra procumbens - Allegheny Pachysandra (southeast United States)
Pachysandra stylosa - China (sometimes treated as a variety of P. axillaris[5])
Pachysandra terminalis - China, Japan[6][7]

Cultivation and uses

Pachysandra can grow in deep-shade areas and is thus well-suited and popular as ground cover for shade gardens. The most commonly used species is P. terminalis, the Japanese spurge, which is an aggressively spreading evergreen ground cover. It is very deer-resistant. The form 'Variegata' has leaves attractively variegated green and creamy white, and is slightly less invasive. 'Green Sheen' Pachysandra has extra glossy leaves and slowly spreads. All species in this genus prefer a well-drained soil with a high humus content.
References

Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995, pp.606–607.
RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965.
Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521866453 (hardback), ISBN 9780521685535 (paperback). pp 63, 287
"pachysandra". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
2b. Pachysandra axillaris var. stylosa (Dunn) M. Cheng, Flora of China
GRIN Species Records of Pachysandra, GRIN Taxonomy for Plants
3. Pachysandra A. Michaux, Flora of China