''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 Laurel may refer to: Plants * Lauraceae, the laurel family * Laurel (plant), including a list of trees and plants known as laurel People * Laurel (given name), people with the given name * Laurel (surname), people with the surname * Laurel (mus ...

family.

Description

This plant grows up to 8 m in height. It has leaves that are 3.5-5 cm long, and 0.7-1.5 cm broad and narrowly obovate in shape. Flowering occurs from October to August. The petals creamy white with red or lilac at the base. The fruit capsule is 1.5 cm long, and contains a sticky pulp with many black seeds.

Distribution and habitat

The species 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 zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to Australia's

Lord Howe Island Lord Howe Island (; formerly Lord Howe's Island) is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, part of the Australian state of New South Wales. It lies directly east of mainland P ...

in the

Tasman Sea The Tasman Sea (Māori: ''Te Tai-o-Rēhua'', ) is a marginal sea of the South Pacific Ocean, situated between Australia and New Zealand. It measures about across and about from north to south. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abe ...

. It is found in habitats from 300 m above sea level, to the summits of Mount Gower and Mount Lidgbird. It prefers sunny areas on the margins of

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

References

Apiales of Australia Trees of Australia Endemic flora of Lord Howe Island erioloma Taxa named by Ferdinand von Mueller Taxa named by Charles Moore Plants described in 1871 {{Australia-asterid-stub