The flowers are arranged singly or in cymes, with white to yellow petals fused at the base forming a short tube, with stamens that are free from each other.

Plants in the genus Pittosporum are shrubs or trees, occasionally spiny, with smooth-edged linear to lance-shaped or egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, on a petiole.

The flowers are borne on the ends of branches or in leaf axils, in cymes or clusters with sepals that are free from each other.

The petals are linear or lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, and partly fused to form a tube.

[11] Plants in the genus Pittosporum are native to some parts of southern Africa, Madagascar, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan, India, some parts of China, Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and some Pacific Islands.