Everything about Oleaceae totally explained
The
Oleaceae, or
olive family, is a
plant family containing 24 extant
genera and around 600
species of
mesophytic shrubs,
trees and occasionally
vines. As shrubs, members of this family may be
twine climbers, or scramblers.
Description
Leaves
The family is characterised by opposite leaves that may be simple or compound (either pinnate or ternate), without
stipule. Alternate or whorled arrangements are rarely observed, with some
Jasminum species presenting spiral configuration. The
lamina are pinnately-veined and can be serrate, dentate or entire at margin.
Domatia are observed in certain taxa. The leaves may be either
deciduous or
evergreen, with evergreen species predominating in warm temperate and tropical regions, and deciduous species predominating in colder regions.
Flower
The
flowers are most often
bisexual and
actinomorphic, occurring in
panicles,
racemes or
panicles, and often fragrant. The
calyx, which may or may not be present, and the
corolla are
synsepalous and four-lobed. The
androecium has 2
stamens inserted in the
perigynous zone and alternate with the lobes. The
stigmas are two-lobed.
The
gynoecium consists of a compound
pistil with two
carpels. The
ovary is superior with two
locules, each of which bearing two axillary
ovules. Sometimes the base of the ovary is circled by a
nectary disk. The plants are most often
hermaphrodite but sometimes
polygamomonoecious.
Fruit
Oleaceae fruit can be
berries,
drupes,
capsules or
samaras.
Uses
Many members of the family are economically significant. The
olive (
Olea europaea) is important for its
fruit and the
oil extracted from it, the
ashes (
Fraxinus) are valued for tough
wood, and
forsythia,
lilacs,
jasmines,
osmanthuses,
privets, and
fringetrees are valued as
ornamental plants in
gardens and
landscaping.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Oleaceae'.
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