commonly known box box low north american related native east central united_states pennsylvania delaware maryland virginia west_virginia north_carolina kentucky tennessee easily distinguished members genus leaves resemble lack typical like relatives bears white shaped flowers early summer develop blue edible late summer found stations known natives picked ate aware 1920s species nearly ice age box self sterile found isolated colonies reproduce extending roots colony pennsylvania estimated years old recent estimates upper bound years oldest woody plant east rocky_mountains colony pennsylvania years old protected box natural area description box low inches tall leaves resemble inch long oval shaped glossy toothed turning red winter leaves lacking sharp contrast species box flowers june flowers shaped white tinged pink like flowers appear leaf fruits appear july august blue borne short taxonomy box collected described near winchester virginia probably west_virginia botanist named published obtained specimens west_virginia referred remained prevailing years common box species time specimens collected professor discovered colony near pennsylvania redesignated basis specimens recognized genus separate discovery brought friendship gray ultimately resulted appointment secretary assigned species genus widely accepted rejected authors grounds recently phylogenetic studies suggested remainder analysis result returned genus distribution habitat separate stations box documented scientific literature time collection west_virginia stations plant lost science pennsylvania colony known time specimens box subsequently identified delaware called attention threatened state plant article science investigating species purposes found specimens apparently locate west_virginia specimen preserved examination site discovered entire colony patch cut cultivation connected roots evidence margins colony concluded plant self sterile reproduced extending commercial removed box site particularly anxious preserve species site thought extant protected state box natural area able locate delaware colony thought lost send specimens cross specimens pennsylvania colony report stimulated considerable interest species additional colonies located pennsylvania delaware maryland virginia tennessee kentucky west_virginia discoveries noted colonies known local residents picked food names ground bear called intensive effort scientific community use local knowledge determining plant geography recently colony box discovered north_carolina report state reported stations box fall ranging central pennsylvania north eastern tennessee south specimens located maryland delaware found atlantic coastal plain single north_carolina station scattered distribution suggests species spread broadly north_america glacial advances surviving escaped ice protected box prefers dry acidic soils including partial shade locations wooded slopes tend face north site faces west delaware sites small portion colony extended wet margin marsh located dry sandy soil ecology human use box self sterile single plants reproduce sexually instead form colonies spread reproduction colony pennsylvania found feet long surveyed colony grew seed deposited rate centimetres year years old oldest living organism united_states second oldest world eclipsed believed climatic grounds time site covered forest thought cold box survive current forest begin appear site years ago age oldest woody plant north_america east rocky_mountains recent studies attempted determine fact reproduction colony heavily damaged forest fire road construction 1970s entirely found samples taken colony thought arisen sexual reproduction unfortunately destruction colony fire construction makes impossible definitively settle question reported feed leaves eaten wild harvested food humans west_virginia kentucky tennessee documented box colonies west_virginia 1920s took interest plant served pie local box reportedly cooperation efforts way promote use landscaping box commercially available source difficult making carry box local new year celebrations replica dropped instead ball mark new year
Gaylussacia brachycera