#3237 - Alyxia buxifolia - Sea Box
AKA Dysentery Bush
In South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales it's limited to coastal areas, but in Western Australia it's found across most of the Wheatbelt and well out into the arid zones as well. Wind pruning often keeps the plants less than 50cm tall on the coast, but in more sheltered climes it can exceed 3m. The chemicals the plants produces varies with the environment, too - in coastal regions, oleanolic acids and ursolic acids. Shrubs in low rainfall areas contain betulinic acid.
Sometimes used as a native hedge, although germination rates are best if the seeds are passed through a bird first. The fruit is toxic to humans, but the bark is used by the indigenous peoples to treat dysentery.
GSB2024 Wongan Hills - Reynoldson Flora Reserve
