Common name: Tobira, Mock Orange, hai tong
Pittosporum tobira (Thunb.) W.T.Aiton APNI* Description: Shrub or small tree to 6 m high, with branchlets lenticellate when young.
Leaves clustered at branchlet apex; petiole to 20 mm long; lamina dark green and shiny adaxially (but dull after drying), obovate or obovate-lanceolate, 40–90 mm long, 15–40 mm wide, leathery, lateral veins 6–8-paired, connected at margin, sometimes reticulate veins conspicuous between lateral veins, base narrowly cuneate, margin entire, revolute, apex rounded or obtuse, usually emarginate or slightly cordate.
Inflorescence terminal (or nearly so), umbellate or corymbose; bracts lanceolate, 4–5 mm; bracteoles 2–3 mm, pedicels 10–20 mm. Flowers: scent fragrant. Sepals lanceolate, 3–4 mm long. Petals free, white at first, becoming yellow later, oblanceolate, 10–12 mm long. Stamens dimorphic: filament 2–3 mm long and anther nearly sterile in reduced stamens; filament 5–6 mm long and anther yellow, oblong, and ca. 2 mm in fertile stamens. Ovary long ovoid, densely pubescent; placentas 3; ovules numerous, in 2 rows.
Fruits a globose capsule, angular, ca. 12 mm in diam., dehiscing by 3 valves, ± pubescent. Seeds numerous, red, angular, ca. 4 mm.
Distribution and occurrence: Cultivated as hedges and other foliage displays, often implemented in heavily polluted areas such as inner city streetscape.
NSW subdivisions: *CC
Text by T.C.Wilson (26 January 2026)
Taxon concept: Flora of China, Vol. 9, p. 4.
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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