boxplot on a formula:

boxplot(count ~ spray, data = InsectSprays, 
col = "red", xlab="spray", ylab="counts")
# *add* notches (somewhat funny here <--> warning "notches .. outside hinges"):
boxplot(count ~ spray, data = InsectSprays,
        notch = FALSE, add = TRUE, col = "blue")

boxplot(decrease ~ treatment, data = OrchardSprays, col = "bisque",
        log = "y")

horizontal=TRUE, switching y <–> x :

boxplot(decrease ~ treatment, data = OrchardSprays, col = "bisque",
        log = "x", horizontal=TRUE)

rb <- boxplot(decrease ~ treatment, data = OrchardSprays, col = "bisque")
title("Comparing boxplot()s and non-robust mean +/- SD")
mn.t <- tapply(OrchardSprays$decrease, OrchardSprays$treatment, mean)
sd.t <- tapply(OrchardSprays$decrease, OrchardSprays$treatment, sd)
xi <- 0.3 + seq(rb$n)
points(xi, mn.t, col = "orange", pch = 18)
arrows(xi, mn.t - sd.t, xi, mn.t + sd.t,
       code = 3, col = "pink", angle = 75, length = .1)

boxplot on a matrix:

mat <- cbind(Uni05 = (1:100)/21, Norm = rnorm(100),
             `5T` = rt(100, df = 5), Gam2 = rgamma(100, shape = 2))
boxplot(mat) # directly, calling boxplot.matrix()

boxplot on a data frame:

df. <- as.data.frame(mat)
par(las = 1) # all axis labels horizontal
boxplot(df., main = "boxplot(*, horizontal = TRUE)", horizontal = TRUE)

Using ‘at =’ and adding boxplots – example idea by Roger Bivand :

boxplot(len ~ dose, data = ToothGrowth,
        boxwex = 0.25, at = 1:3 - 0.2,
        subset = supp == "VC", col = "yellow",
        main = "Guinea Pigs' Tooth Growth",
        xlab = "Vitamin C dose mg",
        ylab = "tooth length",
        xlim = c(0.5, 3.5), ylim = c(0, 35), yaxs = "i")
boxplot(len ~ dose, data = ToothGrowth, add = TRUE,
        boxwex = 0.25, at = 1:3 + 0.2,
        subset = supp == "OJ", col = "orange")
legend(2, 9, c("Ascorbic acid", "Orange juice"),
       fill = c("yellow", "orange"))

With less effort (slightly different) using factor interaction:

boxplot(len ~ dose:supp, data = ToothGrowth,
        boxwex = 0.5, col = c("orange", "yellow"),
        main = "Guinea Pigs' Tooth Growth",
        xlab = "Vitamin C dose mg", ylab = "tooth length",
        sep = ":", lex.order = TRUE, ylim = c(0, 35), yaxs = "i")