''Pittosporum'' ( or ) is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

of about 200

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the family

Pittosporaceae Pittosporaceae is a family of flowering plants that consists of 200–240 species of trees, shrubs, and lianas in 9 genera. Habitats range from tropical to temperate climates of the Afrotropical, Indomalayan, Oceanian, and Australasian realms. T ...

. The genus is probably Gondwanan in origin; its present range extends from

Australasia Australasia is a region that comprises Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term is used in a number of different contexts, including geopolitically, physiogeographically, philologically, and ecologi ...

Oceania Oceania (, , ) is a geographical region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Spanning the Eastern and Western hemispheres, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of and a population of around 44.5 million ...

, eastern

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

and some parts of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

. '' Citriobatus'' can be included here, but might be a distinct (though closely related) genus.The Plant List: ''Citriobatus'' (retrieved 20/11/2017)
/ref> They are commonly known as pittosporums or, more ambiguously,

cheesewood Cheesewood is a common name for several plants and may refer to: *'' Alstonia scholaris'' (White cheesewood) *'' Melodorum fruticosum'' (White cheesewood), native to southeast Asia *''Pittosporum'' species *''Nauclea orientalis ''Nauclea orienta ...

s. The species are

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

s and shrubs growing to 2–30 m tall. The leaves are spirally arranged or whorled, simple, with an entire or waved (rarely lobed) margin. The

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s are produced singly or in

umbel In botany, an umbel is an inflorescence that consists of a number of short flower stalks (called pedicels) that spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. The word was coined in botanical usage in the 1590s, from Latin ''umbella'' "p ...

s or

corymb Corymb is a botanical term for an inflorescence with the flowers growing in such a fashion that the outermost are borne on longer pedicels than the inner, bringing all flowers up to a common level. A corymb has a flattish top with a superficial ...

s, each flower with five sepals and five petals; they are often sweetly scented. The

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

is a woody seed capsule, which bursts on ripening to release the numerous

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

s. The seeds are coated with a sticky

resin In polymer chemistry and materials science, resin is a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers. Resins are usually mixtures of organic compounds. This article focuses on n ...

ous substance. The genus is named after their sticky seeds, from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

meaning "pitch-seed". Tarata (''P. eugenioides'') and kohuhu (''P. tenuifolium'') – both from

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

– and the Japanese cheesewood (''P. tobira'') from southern Japan are widely cultivated as

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

s in subtropical regions; pittosporums can also be grown indoors as bonsai. The petroleum nut (''P. resiniferum'') yields petroleum nut oil, which is sometimes proposed as biofuel; due to its excessive ''n''-

heptane Heptane or ''n''-heptane is the straight-chain alkane with the chemical formula H3C(CH2)5CH3 or C7H16. When used as a test fuel component in anti-knock test engines, a 100% heptane fuel is the zero point of the octane rating scale (the 100 poin ...

content and consequent low octane rating, it is better suited as a source of ''n''-heptane, which is otherwise produced from crude oil. Many herbivores detest the resinous pittosporums, in particular their seeds, which will stick anywhere. But some animals eat them with relish, for example the

kea The kea (; ; ''Nestor notabilis'') is a species of large parrot in the family Nestoridae found in the forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. About long, it is mostly olive-green with a brilliant orange under its wing ...

(''Nestor notabilis''), which likes '' P. anomalum'' fruit and seeds. The cottony cushion scale (''Icerya purchasi'') is a common pest on ornamental pittosporums (in particular the New Zealand species); the

sac fungus Ascomycota is a phylum of the kingdom Fungi that, together with the Basidiomycota, forms the subkingdom Dikarya. Its members are commonly known as the sac fungi or ascomycetes. It is the largest phylum of Fungi, with over 64,000 species. The de ...

'' Nectriella pironii'' often infects Japanese cheesewood.

Selected species

* ''

Pittosporum aliferum ''Pittosporum aliferum'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of ...

'' Tirel & Veillon * '' Pittosporum angustifolium'' * '' Pittosporum anomalum'' Laing & Gourlay * '' Pittosporum arborescens'' Rich. ex A. Gray * ''

Pittosporum argentifolium ''Pittosporum'' ( or ) is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Pittosporaceae. The genus is probably Gondwanan in origin; its present range extends from Australasia, Oceania, eastern Asia and some parts of Africa. ''Cit ...

'' Sherff – hōawa * ''

Pittosporum artense ''Pittosporum artense'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zon ...

'' Guillaumin * ''

Pittosporum bicolor ''Pittosporum bicolor'', commonly known as cheesewood or banyalla, is a flowering shrub or small tree of the family Pittosporaceae, and is native to south eastern Australia. It is common and widespread, growing as an understorey plant in tempera ...

'' * '' Pittosporum bracteolatum'' * '' Pittosporum brevispinum'' * ''

Pittosporum ceylanicum ''Pittosporum ceylanicum'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, transli ...

'' * '' Pittosporum collinum'' * '' Pittosporum confertiflorum'' A.Gray – hōawa (

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...

) * ''

Pittosporum coriaceum ''Pittosporum coriaceum'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to Macaronesia, and due to extinction in the Canary Islands, it is now restricted to the Portuguese Madeira Islands. ''Pittosporum coriaceum'' is a Cri ...

'' * ''

Pittosporum cornifolium ''Pittosporum cornifolium'', known as tāwhiri karo in Māori, is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is an epiphytic plant endemic to the North Island and the Marlborough Sounds of the South Island, New Zealand New Zeala ...

'' – tāwhiri karo * ''

Pittosporum crassifolium ''Pittosporum crassifolium'', commonly called karo, is a small tree or shrub native to New Zealand. Karo's original distribution was generally the top half of the North Island, although now it has naturalised throughout New Zealand and overseas ...

'' – karo * ''

Pittosporum dallii ''Pittosporum dallii'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the Nor ...

'' * '' Pittosporum daphniphylloides'' * '' Pittosporum dasycaulon'' * '' Pittosporum divaricatum'' * ''

Pittosporum ellipticum ''Pittosporum'' ( or ) is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Pittosporaceae. The genus is probably Gondwanan in origin; its present range extends from Australasia, Oceania, eastern Asia and some parts of Africa. ''Cit ...

'' ** ''Pittosporum ellipticum'' subsp. ''serpentinum'' * '' Pittosporum eriocarpum'' * ''

Pittosporum erioloma ''Pittosporum erioloma'' grows as a shrub or small tree. It is also known as the Lord Howe Island pittosporum or hedge laurel, though it is not a member of the laurel family. Description This plant grows up to 8 m in height. It has leav ...

'' * ''

Pittosporum eugenioides ''Pittosporum eugenioides'', common names lemonwood or tarata, is a species of New Zealand native evergreen tree. Growing to tall by broad, it is conical when young but more rounded in shape when mature. Its leaves are mottled yellow-green w ...

'' A. Cunn. – tarata, lemonwood (

) * ''

Pittosporum fairchildii ''Pittosporum fairchildii'', commonly called Fairchild's kohuhu, is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species was first described by Thomas Frederic Cheeseman. It is named in honour of Captain J. ...

'' * '' Pittosporum ferrugineum'' * ''

Pittosporum gatopense ''Pittosporum gatopense'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined z ...

'' * ''

Pittosporum glabrum ''Pittosporum'' ( or ) is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Pittosporaceae. The genus is probably Gondwanan in origin; its present range extends from Australasia, Oceania, eastern Asia and some parts of Africa. '' C ...

'' – hōawa * ''

Pittosporum goetzei ''Pittosporum goetzei'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within t ...

'' * '' Pittosporum gomonenense'' * ''

Pittosporum heterophyllum ''Pittosporum heterophyllum'', commonly known as Chinese Pittosporum, is a species of plant in the genus ''Pittosporum''. Native to China and Tibet, it is a broadleaf evergreen shrub that grows to a maximum of tall. It has long been grown in gar ...

'' * '' Pittosporum illicioides'' * ''

Pittosporum kirkii ''Pittosporum kirkii'' is a glabrous evergreen perennial shrub that reaches up to in height and possesses distinctive coriaceous, fleshy, thick leaves.Cooper RC 1956 The Australian and New Zealand species of ''Pittosporum''. ''Annals of the Miss ...

'' – Kirk's pittosporum, Kirk's kōhūhū, thick-leaved kohukohu * '' Pittosporum lancifolium'' * '' Pittosporum ligustrifolium'' * '' Pittosporum linearifolium'' * ''

Pittosporum mackeei ''Pittosporum mackeei'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to New Caledonia. The species epithet, ''mackeei'', honours Hugh Shaw MacKee, a botanist who collected for over 30 years in New Caledonia, and who collect ...

'' Tirel & Veillon (

Ponérihouen Ponérihouen is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Ponérihouen is the birthplace of the writer, feminist and politician Déwé Gorodey Déwé Gorodey (1 June 1949 – 14 ...

area of New Caledonia) * ''

Pittosporum moluccanum ''Pittosporum'' ( or ) is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Pittosporaceae. The genus is probably Gondwanan in origin; its present range extends from Australasia, Oceania, eastern Asia and some parts of Africa. ''Cit ...

'' * ''

Pittosporum multiflorum ''Pittosporum multiflorum'', known as the orange thorn, is a shrub growing in eastern Australia. The dense foliage provides a habitat for small birds and animals. It grows on shales or volcanic soils, from Eden, New South Wales north to Queens ...

'' * ''

Pittosporum muricatum ''Pittosporum muricatum'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined z ...

'' * ''

Pittosporum napaliense ''Pittosporum napaliense'', the royal cheesewood, is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known only from northwestern Kauai. It became a federally listed endangered species An endangered sp ...

'' * '' Pittosporum nativitatis'' * ''

Pittosporum obcordatum ''Pittosporum obcordatum'', commonly called heart-leaved kohuhu or heart-leaved kohukohu or kohukohu, is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is Endemism, endemic to New Zealand, and exists both in North Island and South Island. ' ...

'' – heart-leaved kohuhu * '' Pittosporum oreillyanum'' – O'Reilly's pittosporum * ''

Pittosporum ornatum ''Pittosporum ornatum'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of ...

'' * ''

Pittosporum orohenense ''Pittosporum orohenense'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to the island of Tahiti, in the Society Islands of French Polynesia.Pittosporum paniense'' * '' Pittosporum parvifolium'' * ''

Pittosporum patulum ''Pittosporum patulum'' is a plant species endemic to New Zealand where it has a restricted distribution in the South Island - ranging from Nelson in the north with occurrences in inland Marlborough down to Wanaka in the south. It is unusual a ...

'' * ''

Pittosporum pauciflorum ''Pittosporum pauciflorum'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined ...

'' * ''

Pittosporum pentandrum ''Pittosporum'' ( or ) is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Pittosporaceae. The genus is probably Gondwanan in origin; its present range extends from Australasia, Oceania, eastern Asia and some parts of Africa. ''Cit ...

'' * ''

Pittosporum phillyreoides ''Pittosporum phillyreoides'', with the common names weeping pittosporum and willow pittosporum, is a shrub or small columnar tree in the Apiales order, endemic to Australia. Taxonomy This species is subject to some taxonomic confusion. It was ...

'' – weeping pittosporum, willow pittosporum, butterbush, native apricot * '' Pittosporum pickeringii'' * '' Pittosporum raivavaeense'' * '' Pittosporum rapense'' * '' Pittosporum rarotongense'' * ''

Pittosporum resiniferum ''Pittosporum resiniferum'', the resin cheesewood or petroleum nut, is a tree that grows in the Philippines and Malaysia, particularly in the wilderness surrounding the Mayon Volcano and in the Cordillera of the Philippines and Mount Kinabalu of ...

'' – petroleum nut * '' Pittosporum revolutum'' – rough-fruited pittosporum, wild yellow jasmine, yellow pittosporum, Brisbane laurel * '' Pittosporum rhombifolium'' (now ''Auranticarpa rhombifolia'') – Queensland pittosporum, diamond pittosporum, Hollywood * '' Pittosporum rhytidocarpum'' * ''

Pittosporum rubiginosum ''Pittosporum'' ( or ) is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Pittosporaceae. The genus is probably Gondwanan in origin; its present range extends from Australasia, Oceania, eastern Asia and some parts of Africa. '' C ...

'' * '' Pittosporum senacia'' * '' Pittosporum silamense'' * '' Pittosporum spinescens'' * ''

Pittosporum stenophyllum ''Pittosporum stenophyllum'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is Endemism, endemic to New Caledonia. References

Endemic flora of New Caledonia Pittosporum, stenophyllum Endangered plants Taxonomy articles created by ...

'' * ''

Pittosporum taitense ''Pittosporum taitense'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = "Ia Ora 'O Tahiti ...

'' * '' Pittosporum tanianum'' * ''

Pittosporum tenuifolium ''Pittosporum tenuifolium'' is a small evergreen tree endemic to New Zealand – up to – commonly known as and black matipo, and by other Māori names and . Its small, very dark, reddish-purple flowers generally go unnoticed, and are scented ...

'' – kōhūhū, kohukohu, black matipo (

) * ''

Pittosporum terminalioides ''Pittosporum terminalioides'', the cream cheesewood, is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to Hawaii. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the ...

'' * ''

Pittosporum tobira ''Pittosporum tobira'' is a species of sweet-smelling flowering plant in the pittosporum family Pittosporaceae known by several common names, including Australian laurel, Japanese pittosporum, mock orange and Japanese cheesewood. It is native to ...

'' (Murray) Aiton fil. – Japanese cheesewood, Japanese mock orange ( Japan, China, and

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

) * ''

Pittosporum trilobum ''Pittosporum'' ( or ) is a genus of about 200 species of flowering plants in the family Pittosporaceae. The genus is probably Gondwanan in origin; its present range extends from Australasia, Oceania, eastern Asia and some parts of Africa. ''Cit ...

'' * '' Pittosporum turneri'' * ''

Pittosporum undulatum ''Pittosporum undulatum'' is a fast-growing tree in the family Pittosporaceae. It is sometimes also known as sweet pittosporum, native daphne, Australian cheesewood, Victorian box or mock orange. ''P. undulatum'' has become invasive in parts ...

'' – sweet pittosporum, Australian cheesewood, native daphne, mock orange (east coast of Australia) * '' Pittosporum venulosum'' F.Muell. * ''

Pittosporum virgatum ''Pittosporum virgatum'' is a species of plant in the Pittosporaceae family. It is endemic to New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the N ...

'' * '' Pittosporum viridulatum'' * '' Pittosporum viridiflorum'' * '' Pittosporum viscidum'' * '' Pittosporum wingii'' * '' Pittosporum yunckeri'' A.C.Sm.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q158896 Apiales genera Taxa named by Allan Cunningham (botanist)