Shrubs. Branchlets 4-angled, with corky ridges. Leaves persistent, opposite; stipules present; petiole present or absent; blade margins finely toothed; venation pinnate. Inflorescences axillary, cymes or flowers solitary. Flowers bisexual, radially symmetric; perianth and androecium perigynous; hypanthium free from ovary; sepals 4, distinct; petals 4, reddish brown to yellowish green; nectary intrastaminal, lining hypanthium, fleshy; stamens 4, adnate to nectary margin; staminodes 0; pistil 2-carpellate; ovary superior, immersed in and adnate to nectary, 2-locular, placentation axile; style 1; stigmas 2; ovules 2 per locule. Fruits capsules, 2-locular, ellipsoid or obovoid, apex not beaked. Seeds 1 per locule, ellipsoid or obovoid, not winged; aril yellow or white, surrounding base and 1 side of seed, lacerate or fringed. x = 16.

Distribution

North America, n Mexico.

Discussion

Species 2 (2 in the flora).

Pachystima and Pachistima are orthographic variants used frequently in the flora area.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Paxistima canbyi, Paxistima myrsinites

Key

1	Shrubs 1–4 dm; leaves 5–20 × 2–4 mm, usually linear to narrowly elliptic, rarely oblanceolate; capsules 3–4 mm.	Paxistima canbyi
1	Shrubs 5–10 dm; leaves 8–34 × 3–12 mm, ovate, elliptic, or oblanceolate; capsules 4–7 mm.	Paxistima myrsinites