Pittosporum napaulense (DC.) Rehder & Wilson

Habit

Shrub

Family Description

Evergreen trees or shrubs, sometimes climbing; branchlets often whorled. Leaves alternate, often clustered at branch-ends, simple, entire, pinnately veined, exstipulate. Flowers in terminal subumbellate panicles, bisexual, actinomorphic. sepals 5, free or connate at base, imbricate. Petals 5, free and erect or sometimes connate in lower part, spreading above. Stamens 5, opposite sepals. Ovary superior, 2-celled; style 1, columnar, stigma minute; ovules numerous, axil or parietal. Fruit a 2 or 3-valved capsule.

Genus Description

Evergreen trees or shrubs, sometimes climbing; branchlets often whorled. Leaves alternate, often clustered at branch-ends, simple, entire, pinnately veined, exstipulate. Flowers in terminal subumbellate panicles, bisexual, actinomorphic. sepals 5, free or connate at base, imbricate. Petals 5, free and erect or sometimes connate in lower part, spreading above. Stamens 5, opposite sepals. Ovary superior, 2-celled; style 1, columnar, stigma minute; ovules numerous, axil or parietal. Fruit a 2 or 3-valved capsule.

Species description

Shrub, sometimes epiphytic or climbing, or small tree to 6m. Leaves crowded near branch-ends, coriaceous, elliptic, 7-20 x 2.5-5.5cm, acuminate, base attenuate, glabrous; petioles 0.8-2.1cm. Panicles few to many, each 2-5cm, whitish pubescent. Flowers sweet-scented. Sepals ovate, 2mm, shortly connate at base. Petals yellow, obovate-oblong, 6 x 2mm, free to base. Capsules compressed, broader than long, 5 x 7mm, striate within, with 4-6 red, sticky seeds.