Schaefferia is a genus of flowering shrubs and small trees belonging to the family Celastraceae, within the order Celastrales. The genus comprises approximately 15–16 species distributed across the Neotropics, ranging from the Caribbean and Central America into South America.
Members of the genus are dioecious — individual plants bear either male or female flowers, with the unisexual condition arising through the abortion of the non-functional sex organs. Flowers are typically small and clustered in the axils of the leaves, though in some species they are borne singly. The calyx is four-lobed and the corolla consists of four petals. The ovary is divided into two locules, each containing a single ovule that develops into one seed. The fruit is a drupe — a fleshy fruit with a hard inner stone — a character shared across many members of Celastraceae.
The genus was named in honour of Jacob Christian Schäffer (1718–1790), a German clergyman and naturalist best known for his work in mycology. The three species currently represented in cultivation databases are Schaefferia frutescens (Florida boxwood or yellow boxwood), Schaefferia cuneifolia, and Schaefferia ephedroides.
Etymology
The genus name Schaefferia commemorates Jacob Christian Schäffer (1718–1790), a German clergyman, mycologist, and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of fungi and insects.
Distribution
Schaefferia is native to the Neotropics, with species occurring across the Caribbean, Central America, and tropical South America. Schaefferia frutescens extends into southern Florida, representing the genus's northernmost range.
