Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Apiales Nakai
Family
Pittosporaceae R.Br.
Genus
Pittosporum Banks & Sol. ex Gaertn.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Pittosporum pimeleoides subsp. majus (Cheeseman) R.C.Cooper, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 43: 152 (1956) – as major
Synonymy:
  • ≡ Pittosporum pimeleoides var. majus Cheeseman, Man. New Zealand Fl. 60 (1906) – as major
  • = Pittosporum michiei Allan, Fl. New Zealand 1, 309 (1961)
 Description

Prostrate shrub with long branches ± 5 mm. diam., rooting at intervals; branchlets hardly up to 2 mm. diam., pubescent when young. Lvs in rather distant whorls of (2)–3–4–(5), or occ. solitary, on very short slender petioles. Lamina obovate-elliptic to obovate to elliptic, subcoriac., glab., (8)–10–25–(30) × (4)–6–12–(15) mm., us. minutely apiculate. Infl. terminal, of umbellate cymes or of solitary fls. Fls fragrant, petals crimson without, lemon-yellow within, functionally unisexual. ♂ in (2)–5–6–(9)-fld umbels on filiform pubescent pedicels (5)–8–10 mm. long; sepals ± 3 mm. long, very narrowly lanceolate, acuminate; petals ± 10 mm. long, of similar shape; abortive pistil us. present. ♀ mostly solitary, on filiform pubescent pedicels 3–5 mm. long; sepals and petals similar to those of ♂; staminodes us. present; ovary densely hairy. Capsules silky-hairy when young, pulp yellow; valves 2, woody, very dark brown, minutely warted, orange-yellow within, ovoid-acuminate, 6–10 mm. long, including prominent "beak".

[From: Allan (1961) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1 as Pittosporum michiei Allan]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Bibliography
Cheeseman, T.F. 1906: Manual of the New Zealand Flora. Government Printer, Wellington.
Cooper, R.C. 1956: The Australian and New Zealand species of Pittosporum. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 43: 87–188.
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Hitchmough, R.; Townsend, A.J. 2009: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand (2008 revision). New Zealand Journal of Botany 47: 61–96. [Naturally uncommon]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Nationally Endangered]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Naturally Uncommon]