Pittosporum viridiflorum

Pittosporum viridiflorum, commonly known as cheesewood and in Afrikaans as kasuur (a name defying translation), is a large shrub, often an erect tree of 10 m in height, occasionally 20 m to 30 m (SA Tree List No. 139).

The stalked leaves are simple and alternate, spiralling or whorled and crowded at the ends of the branchlets. There are no stipules. The leaf-shape is obovate to broadly oblanceolate with tapering base and attenuating or rounded apex. The leaf colour varies from bright green or apple green to deep green and may be glossy, bright in sunlight, lighter when young. The cream midribs become thinner from the base up, lateral veins ascend visibly from the midribs, the veining is more prominent on the duller lower surface. The venation appears translucent against sunlight. Leaf margins are entire and wavy. The leathery blades have a distinct resinous odour when crushed, while the bark has a sweet smell and a bitter taste. A broken-off petiole base shows three dots of vascular bundles.

The species distribution ranges from the Western Cape southern coast to the Eastern Cape, and widely across the eastern parts of South Africa, also inland. It occurs in all South African provinces apart from the Northern Cape, and in some countries beyond the border. 

The habitat is diverse, including riverine thicket, deciduous woodland, wooded grassland, scrub, rocky outcrops and evergreen forest, particularly forest margins. The tree grows in well-drained soils, found at a wide range of elevations. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century.

Cheesewood has become popular as a garden plant; the attractions include an erect growth form, the glossy dark foliage and the red seeds when the fruit capsules open (Venter, 2012; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002; Pooley, 1993; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).