Pittosporum tobira
Cheesewood
Pittosporum tobira, commonly known as Japanese Mock Orange, is a versatile evergreen shrub prized for its glossy foliage and fragrant white flowers. Beyond its ornamental appeal in landscaping, this resilient plant holds significant ethnobotanical importance, containing bioactive compounds studied for their potential medicinal, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties in traditional practices.
- Scientific name: Pittosporum tobira
- Family: Pittosporaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Further descending through the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Apiales, it is a member of the family Pittosporaceae. Ultimately, its specific taxonomic identity is defined by its placement in the genus Pittosporum.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Apiales | WCVP |
| Family | Pittosporaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Pittosporum | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Pittosporum tobira, is recognized by several common names across different Chinese linguistic regions. In Simplified Chinese, it is referred to as 海桐 (zh-hans), which is also the standard name used in mainland China (zh-cn), Singapore (zh-sg), and Hong Kong (zh-hk). Similarly, in Traditional Chinese, the common name is written as 海桐 (zh-hant).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 海桐 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 海桐 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 海桐 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 海桐 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 海桐 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 海桐 | Wikidata |
| de | Chinesischer Klebsame | Wikidata |
| ja | トベラ | Wikidata |
| el | Αγγελικούλα | Wikidata |
| vi | Son | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is primarily found across various regions of Southwestern Europe. Its natural distribution includes the islands of Baleares and Sardegna. Additionally, it can be located within the territories of Corse and France. The species also extends its presence into the country of Portugal. Together, these locations define its specific geographical range within the Mediterranean area.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Europe | Baleares | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Corse | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | France | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Portugal | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Sardegna | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Spain | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Italy | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Sicilia | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Tunisia | WCVP |
| Macaronesia | Azores | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Pittosporum tobira, is an evergreen shrub that utilizes various structures for reproduction, most notably its seeds. The seeds are contained within woody, dehiscent capsules that develop from the plant's small, fragrant white flowers. Once these capsules mature and split open, the seeds are released, allowing the plant to propagate and spread within its natural habitat.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| seeds | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Pittosporum tobira has 11 reported phytochemicals identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include (E)-nerolidol, BE, R1-barrigenol, caffeic acid, cinnamic acid.
- Total chemicals
- 11
- Scientific sources
- 11
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| (E)-nerolidol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| BE | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| R1-barrigenol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| caffeic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cinnamic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gallic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| germacrene D | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| limonene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| n-nonane | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| n-undecane | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Pittosporum tobira has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Pittosporum tobira has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include breast carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
- Total uses
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| breast carcinoma | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hepatocellular carcinoma | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| acute lymphoblastic leukemia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |