Pittosporum trilobum L.Cayzer, Crisp & I.Telford

Cayzer, L.W., Crisp, M.D. & Tellford, I.R.H. (2000) Aust. Syst. Bot. 13: 897. Type: Queensland, 12 km along the Mt Lewis Rd, Leichhardt L. A., P. I. Forster 15614; holo: BRI; iso: MEL, NSW, QRS.

Red Pittosporum

A small tree not exceeding 30 cm dbh. Blaze odour resembling that of Western Lime (Eremocitrus glauca).

Leaf blades about 8-14 x 2.5-5.5 cm. Midrib raised in a depression on the upper surface of the leaf blade, petiole glabrous, channelled on the upper surface. Young leaf bearing twigs clothed in rusty brown hairs but soon becoming glabrous.

Sepals linear-lanceolate, about 4-8.5 x 1-2 mm, sparsely ciliate with scattered hairs. Petals about 11-17 x 2-4 mm, coherent to the middle in a somewhat urceolate or cylindrical tube. Stamens about 6-11.5 mm long.

Capsules ellipsoid to ovoid, two or rarely 3-valved, about 13-21 x 6-15 mm, sparsely rusty tomentose to glabrescent. Valves less than 1 mm thick. Placentas with funicles attached from the base to about the middle. Seeds about 3-14, aril or sarcotesta sticky.

Cotyledons linear-elliptic, about 18-25 x 4-7 mm. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade trilobed, apex acute, base attenuate, sparsely hairy on the upper surface; petiole, stem and terminal bud densely clothed in prostrate, reddish brown hairs. Seed germination time 88 to 238 days.

Probably endemic to NEQ. Altitudinal range from 50-1200 m. Grows as an understory tree in well developed rain forest on a variety of sites but the few available specimens indicate it is of more frequent occurrence in upland and mountain rain forest.