Species
Pittosporum undulatum
Etymology
Pittosporum: pitch seed
Common Name(s)
sweet pittosporum
Family
Pittosporaceae
Flora Category
Vascular - Exotic
Structural Class
Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs
Similar Taxa
Can be distinguished from all indigenous NZ species and other species in cultivation by the combination of the following characters, Petioles purplish; lamina to 15 x 5 cm, elliptic, strongly undulate; fls in terminal panicles, very fragrant; petals 10-12 mm long, almost white, reflexing; capsules 1-1.5 cm diam., subglobose before dehiscence, orange; seeds deep orange and extremely viscid (Webb et al 1988).
Flower Colours
White
Year Naturalised
1970
Origin
S.E. Australia
Reason For Introduction
Ornamental
Reproduction
Reproduces from seed, also can re-sprout from wind damage in Jamaica (P. Bellingham pers com.)
Dispersal
Seed is dispersed by birds (Webb et al 1988, Heenan et al 2002)
This page last updated on 18 Jan 2010