Common name: Wallaby Apple, Large-fruited Orange Thorn
Pittosporum spinescens (F.Muell.) L.Cayzer, Crisp & I.Telford APNI* Synonyms: Citriobatus spinescens (F.Muell.) Druce APNI* Ixiosporum spinescens F.Muell. APNI* Citriobatus pauciflorus A.Cunn. ex Loudon APNI*
Description: Shrub or small tree to 8 m high, branchlets mostly spinose; spines c. 1 cm long.
Leaves obovate or cuneate, 5–20 mm long, 2–10 mm wide, apex rounded or truncate or notched or occasionally shortly apiculate; margins otherwise entire, only the midvein evident on lower surface, glabrous; sessile or subsessile.
Flowers solitary. Sepals not seen. Petals 8–10 mm long, whitish.
Fruit globose, 15–50 mm diam., becoming glabrous, pericarp thick, hard, ripening to yellow or orange; seeds.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in dry sclerophyll forest, dry rainforest and closed scrub, north from Warialda.
NSW subdivisions: NWS, NWP
Other Australian states: Qld W.A.
Text by R. O. Makinson Taxon concept:
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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