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Olearia (From Olea an Olive-tree)

(from Olea, an Olive-tree; in allusion to the resemblance to that tree existing in some of the species). SYN. Eurybia. ORD. Compositae. A large genus of greenhouse or hardy shrubs, sometimes arbo-rescent, sub-shrubs, or rarely branched herbs. Eighty-five species have been described; of these, sixty-three are Australian, and the rest natives of New Zealand and the adjacent islands. Flower-heads rather large, mediocre or small, solitary, corymbose or paniculate; ray-florets white or blue; disk yellow, or rarely bluish-purple; involucre ovoid, campanulate, or sub-hemispherical; receptacle flat or slightly convex, foveolate. Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, penniveined or one-nerved, entire or dentate. Olearias make excellent plants for the cool conservatory--where they thrive best when planted out--or for clothing dwarf walls, &c. Some of them--O. Haastii, for instance--make beautiful bushes in the open shrubbery border, and are quite hardy in most places. The species are readily propagated by means of half-ripened young shoots, inserted in sandy soil, under a bell glass, and shaded. They succeed in almost any soil. Probably the species here described are the only ones yet introduced. O. dentata (toothed).* fl.-heads rosy-white, about 1 1/4in. in diameter, in terminal, erect or spreading corymbs. Spring. l. petioled, very variable, 1 1/2in. to 2in. long, elliptic-ovate or cordate-ovate, obtuse, crenated. Australia. Nearly hardy shrub, with branches, leaves (beneath), and inflorescence densely tomentose. (B. M. 5973.) O. Forsteri (Forster's). fl.-heads white, fascicled, and sessile on the branches of the panicle; corymbs longer than the leaves, many-headed. Summer. l. 2in. to 3in. long, oblong, obtuse; margins undulated; both surfaces reticulated, lower white with down; petioles 1/2in. to 1in. long. New Zealand, 1866. A small, hardy tree.

O. furfuracea (scurfy). fl.-heads 1/6in. in diameter, numerous, in large, branched, loose, spreading corymbs. l. 1 1/2in. to 2 1/2in. broad, ovate-oblong, obtuse, waved, rarely sinuate-toothed, rounded and unequal at base, reticulated above; petioles 1/2in. to 1in. long. Branches terete, velvety. h. 10ft. to 15ft. New Zealand. Hardy tree.

O. Gunniana (Gunn's).* fl.-heads white, borne in great profusion, about 3/4in. in diameter. September. l. oblanceolate, coarsely toothed, and hoary on the under surface. Branches hoary. h. 3ft. to 5ft. Tasmania. A very handsome shrub; hardy if afforded some protection in winter. SYN. Eurybia Gunniana. (G. C. n. s., xvii. 733.) O. Haastii (Haast's).* fl.-heads white, numerous, shortly pedicellate, in lax or dense, sub-terminal, corymbose, hoary cymes; peduncles usually much longer than the leaves. August. l. crowded, 3/4in. to 1in. long, elliptic or ovate-oblong, obtuse or sub-acute, white beneath. Branches woody, thick, the ultimate ones hoary. New Zealand. Hardy shrub. (B. M. 6592.) O. ramulosa (slightly-branched). fl.-heads whitish, small, very numerous, usually sessile, or terminating very short peduncles or branchlets. Autumn. l. crowded, usually very small and spreading, sometimes reflexed and clustered in the axils, one to six lines long. h. 3ft. to 6ft. Australia. A much-branched shrub.