[ID] Anyone know what this is?

[Hackimoto]

This is a 3 mtr shrub that I bought years ago as Australian Round Lime, but as we all know things ain't always what they are supposed to be. I've searched but can't find it under any micro citrus species. It is not a finger lime. It is native as I also have it growing in the horse paddock next door. It is also not Cock spur vine. It has never had any fruit on it and suckers a lot from exposed roots. Any clues would be appreciated. It also has small hairlike thorns.

[MattA]

Possibly Citriobatus.?...

[Tony Bebb]

Intersting Hack

Looks like some sort of native Holly with those little thorns on the leaves. Interested to see what the fans come up with.

Tony

[Hackimoto]

Thanks Matt, I was thinking of Citriobatus or now known as a Pittosporum multiflorum, from one that I found at Springbrook that was covered in small, pea sized, orange berries. I should have grown some of the seed. What threw me was that the one that I have planted in an aviary has never flowered or therefore never fruited in 10 years and the ones in the paddock next door also never get fruit. I'm assuming that it is a self pollinating plant, so unless it is dioecious and needs a plant of the opposite sex to set fruit, it had me thinking it was something else. Having had a closer look at Citriobatus, I think that you are on the money with it. If it would only flower and fruit it would make superb Bonsai material with that mass of orange berries and tiny leaves although some people might not like the thorns. I guess here is another mystery to solve.
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q ... iQfluIGYDg

[MattA]

I should have looked it up before instead of after posting.. yet another rename... Not dioecious, the flowers are sparse, small & insignificant, easily missed if your not looking for them at the right time. Cant say why the paddock plant hasnt fruited, but anything in an aviary would be very partial to them.

I have a young one growing on at the moment & can only find one other post here for them, its a great tree, I just want more info....viewtopic.php?f=127&t=4112&hilit=citriobatus

The only other thing I will add is they are slow to thicken up, tho good growing practice may change that. Should definitely be used more for bonsai, the thorns are not as bad as needle juni's

[Hackimoto]

Matt, Problem kinda solved, the name pauciflorus means few flowers or shy to flower. But that does not explain the profusion of berries on some wild trees that I have found.

[MattA]

Hack, I was thinking about that last night while waiting for the sheep to do their thing. The problem as I see it is they took 2 species & rolled them into 1, pauciflorus & multiflorus, the names have completely opposite meanings so how can they now be the same thing bloody botanists think they know it all

[Hackimoto]

Sheep??? The mind boggles. Oh, you mean counting them jumping over a fence type thing.

[Peterji]

I am pretty sure it is Pittosporum multiflorum as Hackimoto says. Check out this link to PlantNet:
http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-b ... orum&dist=

[Hackimoto]

Thanks Peter, Yeah, 99.9999999% sure that it is that one. Why they re classified it from Citrioblatus I don't know.