THE OLIVE FAMILY, 177 



General Description of the Heath Family. 



Shrubs — Small. 



Leaves — Exstipulate, evergreen, very often small. 



Flowers — Sepals and petals, 4, coherent; stamens, 

 4, 8, not adherent to corolla, anthers with pores ; 

 ovary, free, and 1-, 2-, 4-, or 8 -celled. 



Fruit — Capsule. 



Oleacese. 



The Olive FAiiiiLY. 



This order has 18 genera in 4 tribes, with 280 

 species altogether. The most important genera of the 

 4 in South Africa are the Olive and Jasmine. All 

 the members of the order have opposite leaves. 



O'lea. — This has about eight species in South 

 Africa. The calyx is gamosepalous, with four valvate 

 lobes to the limb, i.e. the edges meet but do not 

 overlap. The stamens are two only, epipetalous ; and 

 the pistil has two carpels. The fruit is a drupe, with 

 one seed. The olive is the species, 0. europce'a, which 

 has purple drupes when ripe, the flesh being very oily, 

 from which the oil is expressed. 



Three species of South African O'lea supply wood 

 suitable for cabinet-makers, waggons, etc. 



Jas'minum (Jasmine, Fig. 74).— There are about six 

 species in South Africa. The calyx and corolla have 



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