''Pittosporum lancifolium'', known as the narrow-leaved orange thorn or sticky orange thorn, is a shrub or tree growing in eastern

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. Often found at altitudes above 500 metres above sea level; from Mallanganee National Park in

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

in the south to Yarraman in south east

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

in the north. Usually found in association with the

Hoop Pine ''Araucaria cunninghamii'' is a species of '' Araucaria'' known as hoop pine. Other less commonly used names include colonial pine, Queensland pine, Dorrigo pine, Moreton Bay pine and Richmond River pine. The scientific name honours the botanist ...

on the drier types 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 ...

on soils enriched by

basalt Basalt (; ) is an aphanite, aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the planetary surface, surface of a terrestrial ...

. The specific epithet ''lancifolium'' refers to the lance shaped leaves.

Description

Usually a bush in the under-storey, however larger specimens can achieve a height of 25 metres and as stem diameter of 30 cm. When large, it is a crooked tree with a wide spreading crown. The trunk is without buttresses, usually cylindrical in shape. Bark is grey or cream, scaly and with corky protuberances. Small branches are thin, with notable leaf scars. Leaves are alternate on the stem, thin and without teeth,

lanceolate The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular o ...

or elliptical in shape, 2 to 5 cm long and 0.5 to 2 cm wide. Hairless and showing oil dots. The leaf stalk is 2 mm long. The leaf tip may be blunt or have a short prickle. Sweet smelling yellow-green flowers form in ones or twos on short stalks from September to October. The fruit is a purple berry, with a hooked style at the top. 9 to 14 seeds grow within the sticky pulp. The globular fruit is 5 to 7 mm in diameter and it matures from March to August. Regeneration is from cuttings or fresh seeds.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7199143 Apiales of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland lancifolium Taxa named by Frederick Manson Bailey