Māori Plant Use

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Plant Use Details 

 
Pittosporum tenuifolium. Kōhūhū. Main reference.
FAMILY: Pittosporaceae Pittosporum family
 BOTANICAL NAME: Pittosporum tenuifolium
MĀORI NAME: KŌHŪHŪ, kohukohu, koihu, kaikaro, pōwhiri, pōhiri, tāwhiri, tawiri (Taylor 1870), tawhiwhi, rautāwhiri, kōwhiwhi (all in Best, Williams 1971); māpauriki (Beever 1991),
Gum used as scent: tāwhiri
 COMMON NAME: black matipo; silverleaf Best 1908; turpentine-tree; black birch latter two names both in Conservator of State Forests 1877
 NOTES: ''In many parts of the colony, the small-leaved tarata (Pittosporum tenuifolium) is called black birch'' (Conservator of State Forests 1877)
 MEDICINAL: Fresh gum resin mixed with thickened juice of pūhā chewed as a masticatory (Colenso 1869a ; Bretts Guide 1883 ; Best 1942).
CHEMISTRY: Essential oil contains alpha-pinene and other components described by Calder and Carter (1949).
SCENT: Fragrant gum used to perfume tītoki and kōhia oils obtained by bruising bark of tree (Colenso 1869a, 1892b ; Best 1942)
TRADITIONS: Green branchlet used in baptism ceremony (Best 1929).
RECORD NUMBER: 1181