Pittosporum: A Deep Dive with Ferb Vu
The world of plants is vast and diverse, filled with intriguing specimens that capture the imagination. Among these is the genus Pittosporum, a group of flowering plants that has always fascinated me. With their glossy leaves, fragrant flowers, and intriguing seed capsules, they offer a captivating blend of beauty and resilience. Join me, Ferb Vu, as we delve into the world of Pittosporum, exploring its characteristics, diversity, and ecological significance.
What is Pittosporum?
Pittosporum is a genus of approximately 200 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Pittosporaceae. The name Pittosporum originates from the Greek words “pitta” (meaning pitch) and “sporos” (meaning seed), referring to the sticky resinous substance that surrounds the seeds of many species. These plants are typically evergreen shrubs or trees, ranging in height from 2 to 30 meters. They are characterized by their simple, alternately arranged leaves, often with wavy margins, and their fragrant flowers, which are usually white, cream, or yellow. The flowers are followed by woody capsules that split open to reveal sticky seeds.
A Global Citizen
While the exact origin of Pittosporum remains uncertain, it’s believed to have Gondwanan roots, with its current distribution spanning Australasia, Oceania, eastern Asia, and parts of Africa. This wide distribution speaks to the genus’s adaptability and resilience, with species thriving in a variety of habitats, from coastal cliffs to montane forests.
Diversity within Pittosporum
One of the most captivating aspects of Pittosporum is its remarkable diversity. The genus encompasses a wide array of species, each with its own unique characteristics and adaptations. Here are:
- Pittosporum abyssinicum Delile
- Pittosporum acuminatissimum Merr.
- Pittosporum aliferum Tirel & Veillon
- Pittosporum ambrense Cufod.
- Pittosporum anamallayense M.P.Nayar & G.S.Giri
- Pittosporum aneityense Guillaumin
- Pittosporum anggiense D.M.Hicks & Utteridge
- Pittosporum angustifolium G.Lodd.
- Pittosporum angustilimbum C.Y.Wu
- Pittosporum anomalum Laing & Gourlay
- Pittosporum arborescens Rich. ex A.Gray
- Pittosporum argentifolium Sherff
- Pittosporum artense Guillaumin
- Pittosporum balansae Aug.DC.
- Pittosporum balfourii Cufod.
- Pittosporum baudouinii Brongn. & Gris
- Pittosporum berberidoides Burkill
- Pittosporum bernardii Tirel & Veillon
- Pittosporum bicolor Hook.
- Pittosporum boninense Koidz.
- Pittosporum bouletii Veillon & Tirel
- Pittosporum brackenridgei A.Gray
- Pittosporum bracteolatum Endl.
- Pittosporum brevicalyx (Oliv.) Gagnep.
- Pittosporum brevispinum Veillon & Tirel
- Pittosporum buchananii Hook.f.
- Pittosporum bullatoferrugineum Cufod.
- Pittosporum cacondense Exell & Mendonça
- Pittosporum campbellii F.Muell.
- Pittosporum ceylanicum Wight
- Pittosporum chelidospermum Blume
- Pittosporum cherrieri Tirel & Veillon
- Pittosporum clementis Merr.
- Pittosporum coccineum (Montrouz.) Beauvis.
- Pittosporum colensoi Hook.f.
- Pittosporum collinum Guillaumin
- Pittosporum comptum K.Schum. & Lauterb.
- Pittosporum confertiflorum A.Gray
- Pittosporum coriaceum Aiton
- Pittosporum cornifolium A.Cunn. ex Hook.
- Pittosporum crassicaule Laing & Gourlay
- Pittosporum crassifolium Banks & Sol.
- Pittosporum cravenianum Schodde
- Pittosporum crispulum Gagnep.
- Pittosporum croceum Guillaumin
- Pittosporum dallii Cheeseman
- Pittosporum daphniphylloides Hayata
- Pittosporum dasycaulon Miq.
- Pittosporum densiflorum Putt.
- Pittosporum deplanchei Brongn. & Gris
- Pittosporum divaricatum Cockayne
- Pittosporum dzumacense Guillaumin
- Pittosporum echinatum Brongn. & Gris
- Pittosporum elevaticostatum H.T.Chang & S.Z.Yan
- Pittosporum ellipticum Kirk
- Pittosporum epiphyticum Merr.
- Pittosporum eriocarpum Royle
- Pittosporum erioloma C.Moore & F.Muell.
- Pittosporum eugenioides A.Cunn.
- Pittosporum euphlebium Merr.
- Pittosporum fairchildii Cheeseman
- Pittosporum ferrugineum W.T.Aiton
- Pittosporum fissicalyx Miq.
- Pittosporum flocculosum (Hillebr.) Sherff
- Pittosporum fulvipilosum H.T.Chang & S.Z.Yan
- Pittosporum fulvotomentosum Engl.
- Pittosporum gagnepainianum Gowda
- Pittosporum gagnepainii Doweld
- Pittosporum gatopense Guillaumin
- Pittosporum gayanum Rock
- Pittosporum glaberrimum Merr.
- Pittosporum glabratum Lindl.
- Pittosporum glabrum Hook. & Arn.
- Pittosporum goetzei Engl.
- Pittosporum gracile Pancher ex Brongn. & Gris
- Pittosporum halophilum Rock
- Pittosporum hawaiiense Hillebr.
- Pittosporum heckelii Dubard
- Pittosporum hematomallum Guillaumin
- Pittosporum henryi Gowda
- Pittosporum heterophyllum Franch.
- Pittosporum hosmeri Rock
- Pittosporum humbertii Cufod.
- Pittosporum humile Hook.f. & Thomson
- Pittosporum huttonianum Kirk
- Pittosporum illicioides Makino
- Pittosporum impressum (Ridl.) L.W.Cayzer & Utteridge
- Pittosporum inopinatum K.Bakker
- Pittosporum × intermedium Kirk
- Pittosporum isolatum L.W.Cayzer & Utteridge
- Pittosporum javanicum (Blume) Blume
- Pittosporum johnstonianum Gowda
- Pittosporum kaalense Guillaumin
- Pittosporum karnatakense Saldanha & S.R.Ramesh
- Pittosporum kauaiense Hillebr.
- Pittosporum kerrii Craib
- Pittosporum kirkii Hook.f. ex Kirk
- Pittosporum koghiense Guillaumin
- Pittosporum kororoense Benwell
- Pittosporum kunmingense H.T.Chang & S.Z.Yan
- Pittosporum kwangsiense H.T.Chang & S.Z.Yan
- Pittosporum kweichowense Gowda
- Pittosporum lacrymasepalum Utteridge
- Pittosporum lancifolium (F.M.Bailey) L.W.Cayzer, Crisp & I.Telford
- Pittosporum lanipetalum Tirel & Veillon
- Pittosporum ledermannii E.Pritz.
- Pittosporum lenticellatum Chun ex H.Peng & Y.F.Deng
- Pittosporum leptosepalum Gowda
- Pittosporum leratii Guillaumin
- Pittosporum leroyanum Tirel & Veillon
- Pittosporum letocartiorum Veillon & Tirel
- Pittosporum ligustrifolium A.Cunn.
- Pittosporum lineare Laing & Gourlay
- Pittosporum linearifolium Sugau
- Pittosporum longisepalum K.Bakker
- Pittosporum loniceroides Brongn. & Gris
- Pittosporum luteum H.St.John
- Pittosporum mackeei Tirel & Veillon
- Pittosporum macrosepalum Cufod.
- Pittosporum maireaui H.St.John
- Pittosporum malaxanii Veillon & Tirel
- Pittosporum maoshanense Z.H.Chen, G.Y.Li & X.F.Jin
- Pittosporum maxwellii Utteridge
- Pittosporum megacarpum Merr.
- Pittosporum merrillianum Gowda
- Pittosporum michiei Allan
- Pittosporum mildbraedii Engl.
- Pittosporum moluccanum (Lam.) Miq.
- Pittosporum × monae Rock ex H.St.John
- Pittosporum monticola Miq.
- Pittosporum morierei Vieill. ex Guillaumin
- Pittosporum multiflorum (A.Cunn. ex Benth.) L.W.Cayzer, Crisp & I.Telford
- Pittosporum muricatum Tirel & Veillon
- Pittosporum napaliense Sherff
- Pittosporum napaulense (DC.) Rehder & E.H.Wilson
- Pittosporum nativitatis Baker f.
- Pittosporum neelgherrense Wight & Arn.
- Pittosporum nubicola Schodde
- Pittosporum nubigenum Ridl.
- Pittosporum × obcordatum Raoul
- Pittosporum oblongilimbum Merr.
- Pittosporum obovatum Guillaumin
- Pittosporum obscurinerve Merr.
- Pittosporum ochrosiifolium Bojer
- Pittosporum odoratum Merr.
- Pittosporum oligodontum Gillespie
- Pittosporum oligophlebium H.T.Chang & S.Z.Yan
- Pittosporum omeiense H.T.Chang & S.Z.Yan
- Pittosporum oreillyanum C.T.White
- Pittosporum oreophilum Guillaumin
- Pittosporum ornatum Tirel & Veillon
- Pittosporum orohenense J.W.Moore
- Pittosporum oubatchense Schltr.
- Pittosporum owenstanleyense L.W.Cayzer & Utteridge
- Pittosporum pachyphyllum Baker
- Pittosporum pancheri Brongn. & Gris
- Pittosporum pangalanense Cufod.
- Pittosporum paniculatum Brongn. & Gris
- Pittosporum paniculiferum H.T.Chang & S.Z.Yan
- Pittosporum paniense Guillaumin
- Pittosporum parvicapsulare H.T.Chang & S.Z.Yan
- Pittosporum parvifolium Hayata
- Pittosporum parvilimbum H.T.Chang & S.Z.Yan
- Pittosporum patelliplacenta (Schodde) L.W.Cayzer & Utteridge
- Pittosporum patulum Hook.f.
- Pittosporum pauciflorum Hook. & Arn.
- Pittosporum pentandrum (Blanco) Merr.
- Pittosporum perahuense H.St.John
- Pittosporum perglabratum H.T.Chang & S.Z.Yan
- Pittosporum peridoticola Sugau & Ent
- Pittosporum perryanum Gowda
- Pittosporum pervillei Blume
- Pittosporum phillyreoides DC.
- Pittosporum pickeringii A.Gray
- Pittosporum pimeleoides A.Cunn. ex Putt.
- Pittosporum planilobum H.T.Chang & S.Z.Yan
- Pittosporum podocarpum Gagnep.
- Pittosporum polyspermum Tul.
- Pittosporum poueboense Guillaumin
- Pittosporum poumense Guillaumin
- Pittosporum praedictum Schodde
- Pittosporum pronyense Guillaumin
- Pittosporum pseudostipitatum Merr.
- Pittosporum pulgarense Elmer
- Pittosporum pullifolium Burkill
- Pittosporum pumilum Schodde
- Pittosporum purpurascens (Schodde) L.W.Cayzer & Utteridge
- Pittosporum purpureum H.St.John
- Pittosporum qinlingense Y.Ren & X.Liu
- Pittosporum raivavaeense H.St.John
- Pittosporum ralphii Kirk
- Pittosporum ramiflorum (Zoll. & Moritzi) Zoll. ex Miq.
- Pittosporum ramosii Merr.
- Pittosporum rangitahua E.K.Cameron & Sykes
- Pittosporum rapense F.Br.
- Pittosporum rarotongense Hemsl.
- Pittosporum reflexisepalum C.Y.Wu
- Pittosporum rehderianum Gowda
- Pittosporum resiniferum Hemsl.
- Pittosporum reticosum Ridl.
- Pittosporum revolutum W.T.Aiton
- Pittosporum rhytidocarpum A.Gray
- Pittosporum ridleyi L.W.Cayzer & G.Chandler
- Pittosporum rigidum Hook.f.
- Pittosporum roimata Gemmill & S.N.Carter
- Pittosporum rubiginosum A.Cunn.
- Pittosporum salicifolium Danguy
- Pittosporum samoense Christoph.
- Pittosporum saxicola Rehder & E.H.Wilson
- Pittosporum schoddei L.W.Cayzer & Utteridge
- Pittosporum scythophyllum Schltr.
- Pittosporum senacia Putt.
- Pittosporum serpentinum (de Lange) de Lange
- Pittosporum sessilifolium Tirel & Veillon
- Pittosporum silamense Sugau
- Pittosporum simsonii Montrouz.
- Pittosporum sinuatum Blume
- Pittosporum sogeriense L.W.Cayzer & Utteridge
- Pittosporum spinescens (F.Muell.) L.W.Cayzer, Crisp & I.Telford
- Pittosporum spissescens Utteridge
- Pittosporum stenopetalum Baker
- Pittosporum suatinum Schodde
- Pittosporum subulisepalum Hu & F.T.Wang
- Pittosporum sulawesiense L.W.Cayzer & G.Chandler
- Pittosporum sylvaticum Guillaumin
- Pittosporum taitense Putt.
- Pittosporum takauele H.St.John
- Pittosporum tanianum Veillon & Tirel
- Pittosporum tenuifolium Gaertn.
- Pittosporum tenuivalvatum H.T.Chang & S.Z.Yan
- Pittosporum terminalioides Planch. ex A.Gray
- Pittosporum tetraspermum Wight & Arn.
- Pittosporum timorense Blume
- Pittosporum tinifolium A.Cunn.
- Pittosporum tobira (Thunb.) W.T.Aiton
- Pittosporum tonkinense Gagnep.
- Pittosporum trigonocarpum H.Lév.
- Pittosporum trilobum L.W.Cayzer, Crisp & I.Telford
- Pittosporum truncatum E.Pritz.
- Pittosporum tubiflorum H.T.Chang & S.Z.Yan
- Pittosporum turneri Petrie
- Pittosporum umbellatum Gaertn.
- Pittosporum undulatifolium H.T.Chang & S.Z.Yan
- Pittosporum undulatum Vent.
- Pittosporum venulosum F.Muell.
- Pittosporum verrucosum Veillon & Tirel
- Pittosporum viburnifolium Hayata
- Pittosporum virgatum Kirk
- Pittosporum viridiflorum Sims
- Pittosporum viridulum M.P.Nayar, G.S.Giri & V.Chandras.
- Pittosporum viscidum L.W.Cayzer, Crisp & I.Telford
- Pittosporum wingii F.Muell.
- Pittosporum xanthanthum Schltr.
- Pittosporum xenicum Schodde
- Pittosporum xylocarpum Hu & F.T.Wang
- Pittosporum yunckeri A.C.Sm.
Ecological Importance
Beyond their ornamental value, Pittosporum species play significant roles in their respective ecosystems. They provide food and shelter for a variety of animals, including birds, insects, and small mammals. The flowers are often visited by pollinators such as bees and butterflies, while the fruits are consumed by birds, which help disperse the seeds. Furthermore, some species are used in traditional medicine or for timber.
Pittosporum and Me
My interest in Pittosporum stems from a deep appreciation for the natural world and a fascination with the intricacies of plant life. I am particularly drawn to the genus’s diversity, its adaptability, and its ecological significance. I believe that Pittosporum exemplifies the beauty and resilience of nature, and I am eager to continue learning more about this captivating group of plants.
Whether you’re a seasoned botanist or simply an admirer of nature’s wonders, I encourage you to take a closer look at Pittosporum. You might be surprised by what you discover.
