Buxus saligna D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 63. 1825; Sarcococca pruniformis Lindley var. angustifolia Lindley; S. salicifolia Baillon.

Shrubs, 3-5 m tall; rhizome ramified from base; young branches light green, longitudinally ribbed, glabrous. Petiole slender, 5-8 mm; leaf blade lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, usually 6-8 × 1.2-2 cm, papery, deep green adaxially, lucid, light green abaxially, densely and very minutely punctate, base cuneate, apex long acuminate, obtuse, or slightly mucronate at tip; midrib elevated on both surfaces, lateral veins pinnate, basal a subtriplinerved pair, distance 6-8 mm from base. Inflorescences short racemes, erect, ca. 1 cm; rachis pubescent. Flowers light yellow. Male flowers 5 or 6, inserted apically; pedicels short; bracteoles 2, or apical part ebracteolate; tepals long ovate, ca. 3 mm, acute. Female flowers 2 or 3, inserted basally; bracteoles several, ovate, densely imbricate, acute; tepals similar to bracteoles in shape. Fruit globose or subellipsoid, ca. 6 mm in diam., darkly purple when mature; persistent styles 3, ca. 1.5 mm, apices recurved; carpopodium 4-5 mm. Fl. Sep-Dec.

Evergreen forests; 1200-2300 m. Taiwan, S Xizang (Gyirong, Nyalam) [Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Pakistan].