Rainforest pioneer

Large shrub about 3 metres with more or less rusty brown undersides of leaves. Pale to strong yellow flowers precede orange fruit with red seed. A rainforest pioneer species. The shoots are rusty brown and hairy. This is a hardy tree that can grow larger in favourable conditions. Useful in Enoggera catchment revegetation. Leaves can be extremely variable, from quite ovate, thin leaves without curved margins to other specimens whose leaves can be quite curved, thick, substantial and rusty hairy. The name comes from the Greek pittos meaning pitch and sporum seed referring to the sticky substance around the seeds. When processing, use sand to separate the seeds. Revolutum from botanical Latin revoluta meaning when the (leaf) edges are rolled backwards spirally on each side.

Ripe orange red fruit splitting apart. Photo: MargaretRDonald CC BY-SA 4.0

Seed collecting and propagation

The fruit is an egg-shaped, woody orange-yellow capsule 1- 2 cm long. Fruit is often rough or warty on the outside. Ripe in summer. Seeds are reddish and immersed in sticky fluid. Wash sticky seeds in dishwashing liquid to remove. May take several washes, alternatively, place in a jar with clean river sand and agitate until sticky substance is removed. Sow fresh.

The photo shows leaves top left which can be extremely variable, from these quite ovate, thin leaves without curved margins to other specimens whose leaves can be quite curved, thick, substantial and rusty hairy. Flowers, top right, then green fruit, yellow fruit, and finally ripe orange red fruit which is splitting apart in the image bottom right, showing the red sticky seed. Photos: Robert Whyte