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Oleaceae (Rather large genus about)

A rather large genus (about thirty-five species) of usually greenhouse evergreen trees, native of tropical and central Asia, the Mediterranean region, tropical and South Africa, the Mascarene Islands, and New Zealand. Flowers white, in axillary and terminal panicles, small; corolla funnel-shaped, with a short tube; inflorescence mostly or almost totally centripetal. Drupe ovoid, oblong, or globose. Leaves opposite, entire or rarely toothed. The species here described are those best known to cultivation. Oleas thrive in well-drained loam, and are of the easiest cultivation. They are propagated by cuttings of the ripened young shoots, or by seeds.

O. capensis (Cape). fl. disposed in racemose terminal panicles, June. fr. rather wrinkled, size of a pea. l. oblong, coriaceous, dense and rigid, decussate, always paler beneath. Branches rather tetragonal, from decurrent lines. h. 5ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1730. (B. R. 613.) O. europaea (European). Wild Olive. fl. panicled. June to August. fr. small, of no value. l. oblong, mucronate, quite entire, shorter and stiffer than those of the cultivated Olive, hoary beneath while young. Branches rather quadrangular, hoary. South Europe, &c., 1821. This small tree is nearly hardy. SYN. O. Oleaster.

O. e. sativa (cultivated). fl. small, panicled. August. l. lanceolate, mucronate, quite hoary beneath. Branches angular, but not spinescent. South Europe, 1570. SYN. O. sativa.

O. fragrans (fragrant). A synonym of Osmanthus fragrans. O. ilicifolia (Holly-leaved). A synonym of Osmanthus Aquifolium. O. laurifolia (Laurel-leaved). fl. disposed in terminal, loosely trichotomous panicles. Summer. fr. sub-globose. l. oblong, acuminate at both ends, more or less undulated, or flat, entire, glabrous, petiolate; petioles 1/2in. long. Cape of Good Hope. (B. M. 3089 and L. B. C. 379, under name of O. undulata.) O. Oleaster (Oleaster). A synonym of O. europaea.

O. sativa (cultivated). A synonym of O. europaea sativa. O. undulata (wavy). A synonym of O. laurifolia.

O. verrucosa (warted). fl. in axillary panicles, scarcely shorter than the leaves. April. fr. sub-globose. l. linear-lanceolate, sub-sessile, attenuated at both ends, callous-apiculate, entire, glabrous above, scaly beneath. Cape of Good Hope, 1814.