CHAPTER XXXVI 

 OLEACE^ (Olive Family) 



Family Description. — This is a family of trees or shrubs. 

 The leaves are opposite, exstipulate, and simple or pinnately 

 compound. The inflorescence is a panicle, raceme, cyme or 

 fascicle. The flowers are regular, and polygamous or 

 dioecious; the small calyx is four-lobed, sometimes entirely 

 absent; the regular corolla is four-parted, or of four distinct 

 petals, or absent. There are two stamens, attached to the 

 corolla or to the receptacle. The single pistil is compound, 

 with a two-celled ovary, in each of which there are a few 

 seeds, a short style, and capitate stigma; sometimes the 

 style is absent. The fruit is either a capsule, samara, berry, 

 or drupe. 



Geographical, and Economic Importance. — There are 

 about 21 genera and 500 species distributed widely in tem- 

 perate and tropical regions. The most important repre- 

 sentative is the oUve {Olea europcea). Other well-known 

 members of the family are the Ulacs {Syringa) , privet {Ligus- 

 trum). Jessamine (Jasminum) and ash (Fraxinus). 



OLEA EUROPCEA (OUve) 



Description. — The common oUve is a small tree 20 to 25 

 feet high. All fruit is borne on two-year-old wood, and the 

 same wood never bears twice. The lanceolate leaves are 

 leathery, evergreen, entire, smooth, scaly, and arranged op- 

 positely on the stem. The flowers occur in axillary racemes as 

 a rule, although terminal inflorescences are more or less fre- 

 quent. The flowers are usually imperfect. The small calyx 

 is four-toothed, the corolla four-cleft, white or whitish, the 

 stamens two, and the pistil one. The fruit is a purplish drupe. 



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