Forage Plants of Australia. 



ORDER PITTOSPOKEJE, 



PITTOSPORUM PHILLYR^OIDES, D'C. 



"Butter Bush, or "Willow-leaved Pittosporum." 



Flora Austr., Vol. 7, p. 112. 



A SMALL tree attaining a height of from 15 to 20 feet, with its smaller 

 branches pendulous, giving the tree a graceful appearance. Its leaves are 

 variable, but mostly linear-lanceolate, and from 2 to 5 inches in length, of a 

 thick texture and indistinctly veined. Pedicels axillary, solitary but some- 

 times in clusters, some of which are terminal. The flowers are yellow, and 

 about i in. long, often dioecious, when the females are rather larger than the 

 males. This species is found over the greater portion of Australia, but 

 principally in what is termed the arid interior, and at one time was moderately 

 plentiful in such situations. During late years it has been much cut down 

 for stock, all kinds of which are very partial to it ; consequently the tree is 

 becoming scarce in some districts. This is a matter of much concern to stock- 

 owners ; for in times of scarcity of feed this tree has been a valuable standby 

 for stock. Its drought- enduring qualities are somewhat remarkable ; for 

 neither the hot winds nor the parched earth seem to have much check upon 

 its growth ; and its pleasing green foliage may be distinctly seen among the 

 more sombre glaucous-foliaged trees and shrubs which are a feature of our 

 central plains. It is a tree well worthy of extensive conservation and even 

 cultivation ; for, besides its uses for forage during long droughts, it yields a 

 light-coloured, close-grained, and very hard timber, but not of great dimen- 

 sions, for it rarely ever exceeds 6 in. in diameter. The timber makes 

 excellent tool handles, and can be used for various purposes of turnery work. 

 From its excessively hard nature it can be recommended for wood engraving. 

 It is a tree of remarkably quick growth. A young plant, which was planted 

 outf our years ago, is now 14 feet high, and one planted out nearly two years ago 

 is 8 feet high. Its graceful habit makes it a striking feature among other kinds 

 of vegetation. It is a tree which can be highly recommended to horticulturists 

 for planting in shrubberies, or as single specimens in pleasure grounds, where 

 the soil is of a dry nature, for it will not succeed in wet situations. 



At figure I is illustrated the fruit with the thick and hard, or coriaceous 

 valves open, showing the seeds which are bitter but not poisonous, globular, 

 and of an orange red colour, often enveloped in a viscous liquor. Figure II. 

 shows the fruit before dehising. In shape it is ovate or round, cordate, 

 much compressed, and quite smooth ; and it is about half an inch in length. 

 The seeds of this plant should be sown during the early autumn months, 

 when there is moisture in the soil. 



There are about nine species of the genus Pittosporum, indigenous to this 

 continent, but they are nearly all eastern except the one under notice. Two 

 of them that occur near Sydney are well known to gardeners as furnishing 

 materials for shrubberies. The most common one is Pittosporum undulatum, 

 often called " mock orange," on account of the delightfully scented flowers 

 which furnish on distillation a fragrant volatile oil. Its timber is very close 

 grained, but easily wrought ; and it is valuable for turner's work and wood 

 engraving. It is a tree, however, which is much infested with a borer insect; 

 and it is no uncommon sight to see large branches, and often a greater part 

 of the tree, dying from no apparent cause. On closer examination, however, 

 the parts affected will be found to have been ingeniously and neatly ringbarked, 

 or the pith of the tree excavated by these insects. On account of this the 

 tree is not as largely planted as formerly ; for often an unsightly " gap " is 

 made where least desired by a large branch of the tree suddenly dying. 



