Friis, I. (1993) Pittosporaceae in Flora of Somalia 1: 202-203
Plants evergreen trees, shrubs, or climbers with resin ducts in bark and fruits. Leaves alternate, often crowded towards the tips of the branches, without stipules; blades simple, entire, more or less leathery. Inflorescences in terminal and/or axillary panicles or cymes with few to many flowers or axillary and of solitary flowers. Flowers usually radially symmetric, sometimes slightly zygomorphic, bisexual or functionally (rarely morphologically) unisexual; sepals 5, free, imbricate, least in bud, or often more or less united; petals 5, usually free, rarely with somewhat united claws; stamens 5, alternate with the perals, free or with somehat united filaments; anthers introrse, opening by slits or pores; ovaries superio, sessile or shortly stipitate, with 2-5 carpels and parietal placentation; styles simple, usually short; stigmas capitate or somewhat lobed. Fruits berries or capsules, usually with entire valves; seeds nostly covered by viscid resin, rarely dry and winged; seed coats thin, smooth; endosperm abundant and horny; embryos small.
The family Pittosporaceae includes 8 genera. It is most abundant in southeast Asia and Australia. One genus, Pittosporum, grows in Africa.