Pittosporum tobira (Thunb.) Aiton fil., Pittosporaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 3.5 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: hai tong

English: Australian laurel, Japanese cheesewood, Japanese pittosporum, mock orange, tobira

Japanese: tobera

Habit:  shrub/tree

Description:  "Shrubs or small trees to 6 m tall. Young branchlets lenticellate. Leaves clustered at branchlet apex, biennial; petiole ca. 2 cm; leaf blade dark green and shiny adaxially, dull after drying, obovate or obovate-lanceolate, 4-9 x 1.5-4 cm, 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. Inflorescences terminal or near so, umbellate or corymbose; bracts lanceolate, 4-5 mm; bracteoles 2-3 mm; pedicels 1-2 cm; flowers fragrant. Sepals lanceolate, 3-4 mm. Petals free, white at first, becoming yellow later, oblanceolate, 1-1.2 cm. Stamens dimorphic: filament 2-3 mm and anther nearly sterile in reduced stamens; filament 5-6 mm and anther yellow, oblong, and ca. 2 mm in fertile stamens. Ovary long ovoid, densely pubescent; placentas 3; ovules numerous, in 2 rows. Capsule globose, angular, ca. 1.2 cm in diameter, dehiscing by 3 valves, ± pubescent; pericarp yellow-brown and shiny adaxially, ca. 1.5 mm thick, woody, horizontally striate; stipe 1-2 mm. Seeds numerous, red, angular, ca. 4 mm; funicle ca. 2 mm"  (Flora of China online).

Habitat/ecology:  In Japan, "sunny slopes near the sea; often planted in gardens and for hedges" (Ohwi, 1965; p. 515).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 7217 (PAP) Cultivée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 87)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced cultivated	Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2013) (p. Voucher specimens) Vouchers cited: Fagerlund 285 (BISH 63517), Herbst 1996 (BISH 402359)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced cultivated	Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2013) (p. Voucher specimen) Voucher cited: Flynn 3124 (BISH 535123)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced cultivated	Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2013) (p. Voucher specimens) Voucher cited: Landgraf s.n. (BISH 11840)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced cultivated	Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2013) (p. Voucher specimens) Vouchers cited: Holt s.n. (BISH 22053), St. John 20327 (BISH 63516)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 114) Vouchers cited: MacKee 25709, MacKee 41072
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Palau Islands (main island group)	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 87)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Cultivated for ornament and possibly naturalized, forests, limestone areas, slopes, sandy seashores, roadsides;; sea level to 1800 m".
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 122) Ornamental.
Japan Japan	Japan	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South Korea South Korea	South Korea (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 70) Cultivated only
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Native in N. Taiwan".

Control:  If you know of control methods for Pittosporum tobira, please let us know.