178 DESCRIPTIVE BOTANY. 



Order XXXV. OLEACE^. 



Flowers perfect, occasionally dioecious and without petals, in a 

 raceme or trichotomous panicle ; calyx, with sepals united, 4-lobed or 

 toothed, sometimes wanting ; corolla hypogynous ; petals 4, united at 

 the base in pairs, or all united ; stamens 2, inserted on the corolla, and 

 alternating with its lobes ; ovary free, 2-celled. Fruit a drupe, a 

 2-celled berry or a samara. Leaves opposite, petioled, simple, or odd- 

 pinnate. Trees and shrubs. 



No. of genera, 18 ; species, 280. 



OLEA, Tourn. (Olive.) Calyx short, 4-toothed, persistent ; corolla 

 tube short ; limb 4-parted, and spreading ; stamens 2, inserted in the 

 base of the tube, longer than the corolla tube ; ovary with 4 suspended 

 ovules, 2 or 3 of which prove abortive. Fruit a fleshy drupe, and oily. 

 An evergreen shrub or tree, with opposite leaves. 



0. Europaea, L. (Olive.) Trunk 20 to 30 feet high, much-branched and 

 spreading, forming a symmetrical head ; branches angular. Leaves lanceo- 

 late, entire, deep green above, light hoary beneath, and evergreen Flowers 

 axillarv, in short, compact racemes, small and white Fruit greenish, or 

 wliitish- violet, sometimes nearly black, size of a pigeon's egg, oval, sometimes 

 globular or obovate, and very abundant. 



There are several species, but the 0. Europsea is the one usually cultivated. 

 Of this species there are five important varieties : — 



Var. longifolia. Leaves linear, lanceolate, flat and silky beneath. 



Var. latifolia. Leaves broad, oblong, flat and hoary beneath. 



Var. ferruginea. Leaves narrow, acute at each end, rusty beneath. 



Var. obliqua. Leaves oblong, bent obliquely, pale beneath. 



Var. buxifolia Leaves oblong-ovate, and branches divaricate. 



Var. sylvestris, found outside of cultivation, is characterized by smaller 

 fruit. It is common in the Mediterranean countries, the Canary and Madeira 

 Isles. There are other varieties, but those mentioned are the most approved. 



Geography. — The geographical range of the olive-tree is not very broad ; 

 it grows best just on the edge of the region of no frost, and on the seacoast. 

 Its area of growth is especially the countries around the Mediterranean sea. 

 Asia Minor, Greece, Syria, Spain, Italy, northern Africa, and the islands of 

 the Mediterranean are the great olive-growing regions. The ports of export 

 are Trani, Barletta, Bari, Mola di Bari, Molfetta, Otranto, Taranto, and 

 especially Gallipoli. 



Etymology. — Olea, the generic name, is from the Greek iXala, through the 

 Celtic or Gothic word oleic, oil, due to the oil-sacs deposited near and just 

 under the skin of the fruit. Europaea, the specific name, is due to the circum- 

 stance that this species is the one under cultivation throughout Europe. 

 Olive, the common name, is plainly a corruption of the generic name, or a 

 contraction of the French Olivier. 



History. — The home of the olive has been traced to Syria, whence it easily 

 spread through the countries of the Levant and southern Europe. Though it 

 has no Sanscrit name, it is referred to as one of the plants upon Mount Ararat 

 at the time of the Deluge. The wood is found iu the stone coffins of Egyp- 



