the box family, in the order Euphorbiales, best known for the ornamental and useful boxwoods and comprising seven genera of trees, shrubs, and herbs, native to North America, Europe, North Africa, and Asia. The plants bear male and female flowers, without petals, on separate plants. The leathery, evergreen leaves are simple and alternately arranged along the stems. Fruits are one- or two-seeded capsules or drupes (stony-pitted fleshy fruits).

Three species of the genus Buxus provide the widely grown boxwood: the common, or English, box (B. sempervirens), the Japanese box (B. microphylla), and the tall boxwood tree (B. balearica). See also boxwood.