Florida boxwood, yellow wood Florida boxwood, yellow wood

Shrubs or trees to 12 m. Stems: twigs not spinescent; short shoots absent. Leaves alternate; petiole present; blade elliptic, ovate, or oblanceolate, 40–60 × 15–30 mm, base attenuate, apex round or broadly obtuse. Pedicels (fruiting) 4–6 mm. Flowers: sepals 0.7 mm; petals oblanceolate, 2.5 mm. Drupes bright red or scarlet, 4–6 mm. Seeds yellow.

Flowering spring–fall. Hammocks; 0–10 m; Fla.; e Mexico; West Indies; Central America; ne South America.

In the flora area, Schaefferia frutescens occurs in Miami-Dade and Monroe (Keys only) counties. The bright yellow heartwood is close grained and heavy; it is sometimes used as a substitute for boxwood in engraving.