Pittosporum moluccanum

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Pittosporum moluccanum
(Pittosporum)(moluccanum)()(p)(fr)(TRAT)(0421)(UV)(East Point)1.jpg
At East Point, Darwin
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. moluccanum
Binomial name
Pittosporum moluccanum
(Lam.) Miq. [2] [3]
Synonyms [3]
  • Anasser moluccanaLam.
  • Pittosporum ferrugineum var. moluccanum(Lam.) Boerl.
  • Anasser rumphiiSpan.
  • Pittosporum rumphiiPutt.
  • Pittosporum zollingerianumBinn. ex Koord. & Valeton
  • Pittosporum zollingerianum var. tenuinervisBoerl.
At East Point in Darwin. (Pittosporum)(moluccanum)()(p)(fr)(TRAT)(0421)(UV)(East Point)2.jpg
At East Point in Darwin.

Pittosporum moluccanum, commonly known as the Atlas moth plant, is a small tree growing in the Northern Territory and Western Australia in Australia, as well as Taiwan, the Philippines and Malesia. [4]

Contents

Description

Pittosporum moluccanum is a small, rounded, dioecious tree that grows to around 7 metres. It flowers in from February to August in dry in monsoonal northern Australia. Fruits are 10 mm (0.39 in) long by 8 mm (0.31 in) wide capsules that ripen orange-brown, inner bright yellow; they contain 15–16 seeds enclosed in bright red sticky arils.

It is a host plant for the Atlas Moth. [5]

Taxonomy

Pittosporum moluccanum was circumscribed by Bakker in 1957. It is described as a complex of species that extend from Taiwan, Philippines, Celebes, Moluccas, Malaysia, Eastern Java, Java and the lesser Sunda Island. The Australian species found in the Northern Territory and Western Australia appears to be the common with the eastern Indonesian coastal species Pittosporum timorense. [4]

References

  1. ↑ IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group & Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). (2024). "Pittosporum moluccanum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2024 e.T198913215A242274599. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-1.RLTS.T198913215A242274599.en . Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  2. ↑ "Pittosporum moluccanum". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government . Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Pittosporum moluccanum (Lam.) Miq". Plants of the World Online . Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2025. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  4. 1 2 Cayzer, Lindy W. (2022). "Pittosporum moluccanum". Flora of Australia . Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  5. ↑ "Pittosporum moluccanum (Atlas Moth Plant)". Territory Native Plants. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
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