Kingdom: Plantae
(Unranked): Angiosperms
(Unranked): Eudicots
(Unranked): Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Pittosporaceae
Genus: Pittosporum
Species: P. dallii
Binomial name: Pittosporum dallii
Common names: Dalls Pittosporum, Kohuhu
Pittosporum dallii is an endangered spreading, evergreen, large shrub or small tree endemic to low forest and scrublands usually amongst rocks at a few isolated locations in the mountains of north-west Nelson, South Island, New Zealand. All known populations occur within the Kahurangi National Park and have a distribution centred on the Cobb and Takaka Rivers.
It is threatened at all known localities by the browsing of deer and possums and hence current occurrences are on or near cliff faces or walking tracks which are locations less prone to the influence of these browsing animals. It grows up to 6 m high with spreading branches and a smooth grey to a dark brown trunk.
This very distinctive species is immediately recognised by the dark purple-black or reddish-purple stems and the serrated leaves. The leathery, dull, spear-shaped, green leaves are up to 10 cm long and up to 3.5 cm wide. They have a toothed margin on the upper half of leaver. The leaves are clustered towards the ends of the branches. Clusters of scented creamy-white flowers on umbellate inflorescences appear during spring and summer.
Dark brown 12mm long seed capsules with a very rough surface appear late summer to autumn.
A juvenile tree photographed at Otari Native Botanic Garden and Wilton's Bush Reserve. Wellington.
The top surface of a juvenile leaf.
The undersurface of a juvenile leaf.
The surface of a mature leaf. Photographed at Christchurch Botanical Gardens
The underside of a mature leaf.
A leaf with a serrated margin only on one side.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
