Pachysandra procumbens (Pachysandra)

Pachysandra procumbens

Pachysandra procumbens Michx.

Pachysandra, Alleghany Spurge, Alleghany Pachysandra

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Malpighiales	A broad group encompassing 16,000 species
Family	Buxaceae	The “box” or “boxwood” family
Genus	Pachysandra	From pachys, “thick,” and aner, for “stamen,” for the thickened white filaments
Species	procumbens	“Stooping,” low

About plant names...

Allegheny pachysandra is native to North America. This low, densely growing plants are popular as a ground cover.

Identification: Plants are 6-10" (15-25 cm) high. Technically they are evergreen shrubs, although their small size doesn’t exactly suggest “shrub.” Leaves are approximately oval in shape, toothed, alternate, 1¾-4" (5-10 cm) long, minutely hairy, sometimes mottled. Pinkish spikes up to 4" (10 cm) high contain fragrant white flowers.

Online References:

Pachysandra procumbens on Carolina Nature, from Will Cook

Pachysandra procumbens at the Vanderbilt University Bioimages web site

Pachysandra procumbens at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Pachysandra procumbens at the University of Connecticut Plant Database

Pachysandra procumbens on Southeastern Flora, the Southeastern U.S. Plant Identification Resource