Pittosporum bicolor

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Pittosporum bicolor
P bicolor fruit.jpg
Fruit
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Pittosporaceae
Genus: Pittosporum
Species:
P. bicolor
Binomial name
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.

Contents

It is common and widespread, growing as an understorey plant in temperate wet sclerophyll forests of south eastern New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. [1]

Taxonomy

Pittosporum bicolor was first described by William Jackson Hooker in 1834, in his paper Contributions Towards a Flora of Van Deimen's Land, which was published in the Journal of Botany 1 [2] .Pittosporum is a genus of about 200 flowering, ever-green plants in the family Pittosporaceae.

Description

Adaxial leaf surface of P. bicolor Adaxial leaf surface.jpg
Adaxial leaf surface of P. bicolor

Leaves are narrow, and vary in shape from being lanceolate to slightly ovate. [3] [4] They are typically 2–8 cm long and 5-18mm wide, margins are flat or distinctly recurved, with an obtuse to subacute apex. [3] They are alternately arranged along the stem, and, as the name suggests, are most distinct in the contrasting colours of the leaf surfaces. The adaxial surface being a glossy dark green colour, and the abaxial surface being light green to silver-grey in colour. The abaxial surface is heavily coated in fine white hairs, and occasionally the adaxial surface will also have a sparse coating of white hairs.

Abaxial leaf surface of P. bicolor Abaxial.jpg
Abaxial leaf surface of P. bicolor

Flowering occurs in spring. [3] The attractive flowers typically occur at the nodes, and may be solitary, terminal or occur in small groups. [3] The flowers are bell shaped, [4] and the perianth consists of 5 sepals, which are 5-6mm long [3] and slightly curve inwards at the apex, the lower surface is coated in fine white hairs. The 5 petals are 8-11mm long [3] and are significantly recurved. [4] The outside colour may vary from dark burgundy red to yellow, and is typically lighter on the inside. [3] [4] [5] Each flower typically houses 5 stamens and a single pistil, [5] the ovary is superior and heavily coated in fine hairs. [5] Each flower occurs on a long pedicel which is coated in fine hairs.

The fruit is a globose woody capsule, [3] it is covered in fine white hairs, and varies in colour from orange to brown as it matures. The mature capsule splits in half to expose rows of 8-20 red or orange sticky seeds. [3] [4] [5] Conspicuous dark valves can be seen on the inner face of the mature, open, capsule. [3]

The bark is grey to light brown in colour, and varies from a smooth and somewhat scaly in appearance lower down, to a rougher and papery appearance higher up.

This plant grows in a conical shape, and typically achieves 2–10 metres in height, [3] [4] but may occasionally exceed this.

Distribution and habitat

Figure 1: Distribution of P. bicolor across Australia. Mapofpbicolor.jpg
Figure 1: Distribution of P. bicolor across Australia.

Pittosporum bicolor occurs statewide across Tasmania and the Bass Strait Islands. It is loosely restricted to the south easternmost parts of New South Wales and Victoria [1] (Figure 1).

It grows as a shrub or a small tree in gullies and the shrub understorey of wet sclerophyll forests, [3] [4] [5] and is therefore tolerant of shaded conditions. It prefers to grow in moist, well drained soils, [3] [4] and does not typically occur at altitudes greater than 1,000 metres above sea level. [3] [4]

It is not uncommon for Pittosporum bicolor to occur as an epiphyte on soft tree fern species, such as Dicksonia antarctica , [7] this is possibly an adaptation to avoid seedlings being consumed by browsing mammals. [7]

Pittosporum undulatum spp. emmetti is a hybrid species of P. bicolor and the introduced Pittosporum undulatum , [4] [8] the hybrid's physical appearance appears to be an intermediate between that of the two parent species. [9]

Cultivation

P. bicolor is a relatively inconspicuous plant, and is therefore not widely cultivated. However, its attractive and heavily perfumed flowers offer some appeal to gardeners.

It prefers a well draining soil, and will appreciate a sunny position, but will also thrive in a sheltered or shaded location. [10] While it can survive in dry soils, it prefers moist or damp soils, likened to that of its natural habitat. It can tolerate heavy pruning.

Propagation is done by seed or cuttings, the ripe seeds can be collected and directly planted, they will germinate freely. [10] Cuttings should be taken from semi hardwood, and should include a heal at the base of the cutting. [10] Propagation by seed is likely to be more successful than propagation by cuttings, however caution should be taken when planting seeds, due to members of this genus readily hybridising.

Related Research Articles

<i>Dicksonia antarctica</i> Species of fern

Dicksonia antarctica, the soft tree fern, Tasmanian Tree Fern or man fern, is a species of evergreen tree fern native to eastern Australia, ranging from south-east Queensland, coastal New South Wales and Victoria to Tasmania.

<i>Pittosporum</i> Genus of flowering plants

Pittosporum is a genus of about 250 species of flowering plants in the family Pittosporaceae. Plants in the genus Pittosporum are shrubs or trees with leaves arranged alternately along the stems. The flowers are arranged singly or in cymes, with white to yellow petals fused at the base forming a short tube, with stamens that are free from each other. The fruit is a capsule with a single locule that opens to reveal angular seeds.

<i>Pittosporum crassifolium</i> Species of tree

Pittosporum crassifolium, karo, stiffleaf cheesewood, kaikaro or kihiki is a relatively fast-growing large shrub or small tree with an erect, fastigiate growth habit. It is native to New Zealand.

<i>Hymenosporum</i> Genus of plant in the family Pittosporaceae

Hymenosporum is a monotypic genus of trees in the family Pittosporaceae. The sole included species is Hymenosporum flavum, commonly known as native frangipani, found in the rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests of New Guinea, Queensland and New South Wales. Despite its common name, it is not closely related to the frangipani, but is related to the widespread genus Pittosporum.

<i>Pittosporum undulatum</i> Australian tree

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.

<i>Frankenia pauciflora</i> Species of plant

Frankenia pauciflora, the common sea-heath or southern sea-heath, is an evergreen shrub native to southern Australia. It is part of the Frankenia genus of the Frankeniaceae family.

<i>Pittosporum revolutum</i> Species of shrub

Pittosporum revolutum commonly known as rough-fruited pittosporum, yellow pittosporum, Brisbane laurel or wild yellow jasmine, is a flowering plant in the family Pittosporaceae and grows in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. It is a small shrub with fragrant yellow flowers.

<i>Ozothamnus ferrugineus</i> Species of plant

Ozothamnus ferrugineus, commonly known as tree everlasting, is a member of the genus Ozothamnus, of the Asteraceae family – one of the largest families of flowering plants in Australia. Native to the Australian states of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania, it forms an erect shrub or small tree between 2 and 3 metres in height.

<i>Leptospermum lanigerum</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum lanigerum, commonly known as the woolly teatree, is a small tree or medium shrub from the plant family Myrtaceae. Its common name derives from the conspicuously hairy capsules produced as fruit, along with the fine, silky hairs present on branches and leaves. L. lanigerum is widespread in many habitats, particularly in waterlogged areas such as moist, sandy coastal heaths, on river banks, riparian scrub, woodlands and on the fringe of montane grasslands. This species is endemic to Australia, with native populations occurring in New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.

<i>Pittosporum multiflorum</i> Species of shrub

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 Queensland, usually in or near rainforest areas.

<i>Pittosporum tobira</i> Species of flowering plant

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 Japan, China, Taiwan, and Korea, but it is used throughout the world as an ornamental plant in landscaping and as cut foliage.

<i>Polystichum proliferum</i> Species of fern

Polystichum proliferum, commonly known as mother shield fern is an Australian endemic fern. The genus name Polystichum is derived from Greek poly - many, and stichos - rows referring to the many rows of sori. The species name is derived from Latin, Proli – offspring and fer - bearing referring to the proliferous buds, a prominent feature of the species.

<i>Pittosporum angustifolium</i> Species of plant

Pittosporum angustifolium, commonly known as butterbush, weeping pittosporum, berrigan, native willow, native apricot, western pittosporum, apricot tree, bitter bush, cattle bush or poison berry tree, is a weeping shrub or tree that is endemic to mostly inland, continental Australia. It has oblong, linear or narrowly elliptic leaves, fragrant yellow to cream-coloured flowers arranged in leaf axils or on the ends of branches, and oval to spherical, yellowish capsules with dark or orange-red seeds.

Tasmania is home to 'Australia’s largest cool temperate rainforests. Most of Tasmania’s rainforests occur in the North-West and throughout the North East highlands. Cool temperate rainforests typically have a heavy rainfall, cool climate, favor high altitudes and have a limited availability of light.

<i>Tmesipteris obliqua</i> Species of fern in the family Psilotaceae

Tmesipteris obliqua, more commonly known as the long fork-fern or common fork-fern, is a weeping, epiphytic fern ally with narrow unbranched leafy stems. T. obliqua is a member of the genus Tmesipteris, commonly known as hanging fork-ferns. Tmesipteris is one of two genera in the order Psilotales, the other genus being Psilotum. T. obliqua is endemic to eastern Australia.

<i>Pittosporum cornifolium</i> Species of flowering plant

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. In the wild it is considered rare and threatened, although it occurs more frequently on offshore islands in the north-east, along with P. kirkii, the only other epiphytic member of the genus. Also grows well as a ground plant and is a popular garden ornamental with two recognised cultivars.

<i>Pittosporum ferrugineum</i> Species of flowering plant

Pittosporum ferrugineum, commonly known as the rusty pittosporum or rusty-leaved pittosporum, is an evergreen plant in the family Pittosporaceae native to Malesia, Papuasia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.

Gonocarpus humilis, commonly known as shade raspwort, is a small herb in the genus Gonocarpus of the family Haloragaceae. Shade raspwort is common along the eastern coast of Australia, and grows in moist and shaded locations. The leaves have a rough and scabrous surface, giving the plant the common name raspwort.

<i>Pittosporum rubiginosum</i> Species of flowering plant

Pittosporum rubiginosum, commonly known as hairy red pittosporum, is an evergreen shrub in the family Pittosporaceae which is endemic to northeastern Queensland, Australia. It was first described in 1840.

References

  1. 1 2 "Pittosporum bicolor : Banyalla - Atlas of Living Australia". Bie.ala.org.au. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  2. "Hooker, W.J. (ed.) (1834), Contributions Towards a Flora of Van Diemen's Land. The Journal of Botany 1". Biodiversity.org.au. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "PlantNET - FloraOnline". Plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Howells, Christine (2012). Tasmania's Natural Flora. Hobart: Australian Plants Society Tasmania Inc. p. 275. ISBN   9780909830663.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Key to Tasmanian Dicots". Utas.edu.au. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  6. "Pittosporum bicolor : Banyalla - Atlas of Living Australia". Bie.ala.org.au. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  7. 1 2 Lee Bowkett. "Epiphytic relations of the Soft Tree Fern Dicksonia antarctica Labill. and the vascular plant species utilising its caudex" (PDF). Eprints.utas.edu.au. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  8. "Pittosporum bicolor x Pittosporum undulatum - Atlas of Living Australia". Bie.ala.org.au. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  9. "Factsheet - Pittosporum undulatum". Keyserver.lucidcentral.org. Archived from the original on 2015-10-01. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  10. 1 2 3 "Pittosporum bicolor - Practical Plants". Practicalplants.org. Retrieved 2016-03-21.