OLIVE FAMILY. 279 



LXXI. OLEACEJJ, OLIVE FAMILY. 



Trees or shrubs, chiefly smooth, without milky juice, dis- 

 tinguished among monopetalous plants with free ovary by the 

 regular flowers having stamens almost always 2, and always 

 fewer than the 4 (sometimes 5 or more) divisions of the 

 corolla, the ovary 2-celled and (except in Jasminum and For- 

 sythia) with one pair of ovules in each cell; style, if any, 

 only one, rarely 2-cleft. A few are nearly or quite polypetal- 

 ous ; others apetalous. Leaves opposite, simple, or pinnate. 



* Calyx and corolla icith 5-8 lobes ; a single erect ovule and seed in each cell. 



1. JASMINUM. Corolla salver-shaped, the lobes convolute in the bud. Stamens 2, in- 



cluded in the tube. Ovary and the berry-like fruit 2-lobed, 2-seeded. 



* * Calyx and corolla with the parts in fours, or sometimes (in Fraxinus) one or both 

 wanting. Ovules hanging, usually a pair in each cell, many in No. 2. Leaves 

 opposite, except accidentally. 



+- Leaves simple (trifoliolate in one of No. 2) ; flowers perfect and complete. 

 H- Ovules and seeds numerous, or several in each cell of the ovary and pod. 



2. FOKSYTHIA. Corolla golden yellow, bell-shaped, 4-lobed, the lobes convolute in the 



bud. The 2 stamens and style short. Pod ovate. Leaves deciduous. 



H- -H- Ovules a pair in each cell, but the seeds of ten fewer. 

 = Fruit a dry pod. 



8. SYEINGA. Corolla salver-form, the lobes valvate in the bud, the tube mostly much 

 longer than the 4-toothed calyx. Pod 4-seeded, flattened contrary to the narrow parti- 

 tion, 2-valved, the valves almost conduplicate. Seeds slightly wing-margined. Leaves 



deciduous. 



= = Fruit fleshy, berry-like. 



4. LIGUSTKUM. Corolla short funnel-form, with spreading ovate obtuse lobes, valvate 



in the bud, white. Fruit a 1^-seeded black berry. Leaves firm and thickish, but 

 deciduous. 



5. OLEA. Corolla white, short, bell-shaped, or deeply cleft into 4 spreading lobes, which 



are valvate in the bud. Fruit a drupe, the hard stone often becoming 1-celled and 

 1-seeded. Leaves evergreen. 



6. OSMANTHUS. Distinguished from Olea chiefly by the imbricated aestivation of the 



corolla. Flowers small, in axillary fascicles or racemes. Stigma small. Leaves 

 mostly deciduous. 



7. CHIONANTHUS. Corolla white, 4-parted, or of 4 very long and narrow linear petals 



slightly or scarcely united at their base ; to which the 2 (rarely 3 or even 4 in cultiva- 

 tion) very short stamens barely adhere. Fruit a fleshy and globular drupe, the stone 

 becoming 1-celled and commonly 1-seeded. Leaves deciduous. 



+- + Leaves pinnate ; flowers polygamous or dioecious, in most species apetalous, ap- 

 pearing in advance of the foliage. 



8. FEAXINUS. Calyx small, sometimes obsolete or wholly wanting. Petals 4, 2, or 



none. Anthers large. Fruit a simple samara or key (Lessons, Fig. 889), usually 

 becoming 1-celled and 1-seeded. Leaves deciduous. 



