Syn.: Polygaloides chamaebuxus (L.) O. Schwarz, Chamaebuxus alpestris Spach, Chamaebuxus coriacea Opiz
Family: Polygalaceae R. Br.
Distribution: Mountain areas of Southern and Central Europe – the Alps, Apennines, Dinarides, Bohemian Massif.
Ecology: It grows in open forests, mainly pine-woods, among rocks, on mountain slopes. It flowers from April to July.
Description: A small evergreen sub-shrub, 5–25 cm high, richly branched. The leaves are shortly petiolate, entire, narrowly elliptic, to 3 cm long, leathery. The flowers 1–2(–3) in leaf axils, 10–15 mm long, winged sepals white, sometimes yellow or carmine, petals yellow, after fertilization red. The fruit is a capsule.
Threat and protection: The Box-leaved Milkwort is a protected species in Czechia.
These images were taken in Italy, the Dolomites, vicinity of Cortina d’Ampezzo (June 17, 2005).
