III. 



OLEACE^. 



237 



Type — Ligustriim i-obustum. 



A tree with opposite, entire, smooth leaves and terminal 

 panicles of numerous, small, white flowers, resembling those 

 of the European Privet. 



The Jessamines [JasminecR) form a distinct Tribe of this 

 Family. Jasmiiiiim Sambac^ a shrubby twiner, with simple 

 leaves and delightfully fragrant (often double) flowers, and 

 / g7'andiflorum^ or the common white Jessamine {J. officinale) 

 of gardens, with pinnate leaves, may be taken as repre- 

 sentatives of the Sub-type. They differ from the Type in 

 having the corolla with five or more lobes, and a two-lobed 

 fruit. To this Tribe belongs also the honey-scented, night- 

 flowering Nydanthes arbor-tristis^ a small tree much culti- 

 vated in Indian gardens. 



The two stamens distinguish Oleaceas from nearly all 

 gamopetalous Families with regular flowers. 



To this small Family belong the Ash [Fraxinus), which is 

 sometimes apetalous, and the Olive {Oka europcea); the latter 

 originally native of Syria and Greece, but from a remote 

 period extensively gro^vn around the Mediterranean, for the 

 sake of the excellent oil obtained from the pulp of its 

 drupes. 



