Manual of the New Zealand Flora/Oleaceæ
Order XLVII. OLEACEÆ.
Trees or shrubs, often chmbing. Leaves opposite, very rarely alternate, simple or 3-foliolate or pinnate, entire or toothed; stipules wanting. Flowers regular, hermaphrodite or unisexual, usually in axillary or terminal cymes or panicles or racemes, rarely clustered. Calyx inferior, usually small; limb 4–5-toothed or -lobed or wanting. Corolla hypogynous, gamopetalous and 4–5-partite, or of 4 free petals, sometimes wanting (always so in the New Zealand species). Stamens 2, inserted on the corolla or hypogynous; filaments usually short; anthers large, 2-celled. Ovary superior, 2-celled; style short or long; stigma entire or lobed; ovules usually 2 in each cell, seldom more, attached to the inner angle. Fruit a drupe or berry, or a 2-valved loculicidal capsule, 2-celled, or by abortion 1-celled. Seeds solitary or 2 in each cell, erect or pendulous; albumen present or absent; embryo straight, radicle inferior or superior.
An order of about 20 genera and almost 300 species, widely spread through most temperate and tropical regions. From an economical point of view it is chiefly important from including the well-known olive, which yields the most valuable of vegetable oils. The various kinds of jasmines and the lilac are common garden-plants belonging to the order. The New Zealand genus is mainly found in the north temperate zone, but also occurs in South Africa, Norfolk Island, and Australia.
1. OLEA, Linn.
Trees or shrubs. Leaves opposite, entire or rarely toothed. Flowers small, hermaphrodite or unisexual, in axillary or terminal panicles. Calyx small, 4-toothed or -lobed. Corolla with a short tube and 4 induplicate-valvate lobes, wanting in the New Zealand species. Stamens 2, rarely 4, epipetalous or hypogynous; filaments short; anthers oblong. Ovary 2-celled; style short; stigma obtuse, capitate or 2-lobed; ovules 2 in each cell, pendulous or laterally attached. Fruit a drupe; endocarp bony or crustaceous. Seeds solitary or rarely 2; albumen fleshy; radicle superior.
A genus of about 35 species, scattered through the temperate and tropical regions of the Old World. The New Zealand species constitute the section Gymnelæa, characterized by the absence of the corolla, and by the stamens being hypogynous.
| * Leaves of young plants broader than those of the adult. | |
| Leaves of adult trees 1½–3 in. × 1-1½ in., elliptic-oblong. Racemes glabrous | 1. O. apetala. |
| ** Leaves of young plants narrower than those of the adult. | |
| Leaves 3–6 in. × ¾–1¾, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate. Racemes stout, pubescent, 8–18-flowered | 2. O. Cunninghamii. |
| Leaves 2–4 in. × ⅓–¾ in., lanceolate. Racemes slender, glabrous or nearly so, 6–12-flowered | 3. O. lanceolata. |
| Leaves 1½–3½ in. × ¼–⅓ in., linear or linear-lanceolate. Racemes slender, glabrous, 5–10-flowered | 4. O. montana. |
1. O. apetala, Vahl Symb. Bot. iii. 3.—A much-branched diœcious shrub or small tree 8–20 ft. high, everywhere perfectly glabrous; bark greyish-brown, thick and furrowed; branches spreading, often tortuous. Leaves very variable, in young plants larger and broader, 3–5 in. long, 2–3 in. broad, broadly oblong or ovate, subacute; of adult trees 1½–3 in. long, 1–1½ in. broad, elliptic-oblong or elliptic-ovate, acute or acuminate, shortly petiolate, coriaceous, glossy, both surfaces slightly rough to the touch, quite entire, midrib prominent. Racemes axillary or on the branches below the leaves, glabrous, 1–1½ in. long, 10–18-flowered; pedicels slender. Flowers minute, 110 in. diam., females alone seen. Calyx-lobes unequal. Petals wanting. Ovary 2-celled; stigma large, 2-lobed; lobes spreading. Drupe oblong, ⅓ in. long, red.—Endl. Prodr. Fl. Ins. Norf. 56; Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. iii. 165; Forest Fl. t. 27, 28.
North Island: Whangarei Heads, Buchanan! T. F. C.; Taranga Islands (Hen and Chickens), Great and Little Barrier Islands, Kirk! T. F. C; Fanal Island, Miss Shakespear! Cuvier Island, T. F. C.
I have followed Kirk in identifying this with the Norfolk Island plant described by Endlicher, but I have had no opportunity of comparing the two.
2. O. Cunninghamii, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 175.—A lofty diœcious forest-tree 30–60 or even 70 ft. high, with a trunk 2–5 ft. diam.; young branchlets pubescent. Leaves coriaceous, very variable; of young plants long and narrow, 6–10 in. long, ⅓–⅔ in. broad, narrow linear, acute; of adult trees 3–6 in. long, ¾–1¾ in. broad, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, obtuse or subacute, shortly petiolate, glabrous, slightly rough on both surfaces; veins impressed above, somewhat obscure, midrib prominent beneath. Racemes ½–1 in. long, stout, densely pubescent, 8–18-flowered; pedicels short, stout; bracts ovate, concave, deciduous. Flowers minute, apetalous. Calyx unequally 4-lobed. Male flowers with 2 large exserted anthers and an abortive ovary; females with 2 sessile empty anthers and an oblong-ovoid ovary with a large 2-lobed stigma. Drupe ⅓–⅔ in. long, ovoid, 1- or rarely 2-seeded, red.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 186; Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 59, 59a, 59b. O. apetala, A. Cunn. Precur. n. 403 (not of Vahl).
North Island: Forests from the North Cape to Cook Strait, not common north of the Waikato River. South Island: Marlborough, extremely rare; Pelorus Sound, Kaikoura, Conway River, J. Rutland! Sea-level to 2500 ft. Maire; Maire-rau-nui; Black-maire. October–November.
Wood dark-brown, often streaked with black; very hard, dense, and heavy; serviceable for any purpose requiring great strength and durability.
3. O. lanceolata, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 176.—A closely branched round-headed diœcious tree 20-50 ft. high; trunk 1–3 ft. diam.; branches more slender than in O. Cunninghamii, often with white bark. Leaves coriaceous, smooth and glossy; of young trees 3–6 in. long, narrow-linear, acumioate; of adult plants 2–4 in., linear-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, shortly petiolate, glabrous, veins usually prominent onbotti surfaces. Racemes ⅓–¾ in. long, very slender, glabrous or nearly so, 6–12-flowered; pedicels long, slender. Flowers minute, apetalous. Calyx unequally 4-lobed. Male flowers with 2 or 4 large exserted anthers. Drupe about ½ in. long, ovoid, red or orange.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 187; Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 60, 61.
North Island: Abundant in woods from the North Cape to Cook Strait. South Island: Vicinity of Nelson, Wairoa Valley, Kirk! T. F. C.; Kaituna and Rai Valley, J. Rutland! Sea-level to 2000 ft. Maire; White-maire. November–January.
Very close to the preceding, from which it differs in the smaller size and more slender habit, smaller and smoother leaves, and especially in the smaller and much more slender almost glabrous racemes. The wood is very similar to that of O. Cunninghamii, and equally durable.
4. O. montana, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 176, t. 46 a and b.—A much-branched round-headed diœcious tree, 20–50 ft. high or more; trunk rather slender, 1–2 ft. diam.; bark greyish-brown; branches slender, the younger ones pubescent at the tips. Leaves of young plants 3–6 in. long, ⅙–¼ in. broad, narrow-linear; of adult trees 1½–3½ in. long, ¼–⅓ in. broad, linear or linear-lanceolate, obtuse or acute, very shortly petioled, coriaceous, glabrous, shining; veins very obscure. Racemes axillary or on the branches below the leaves, slender, glabrous, 5–10-flowered; pedicels slender. Flowers minute, apetalous. Calyx unequally 4-lobed; lobes broad, obtuse. Drupe ¼–⅓ in. long, narrow-ovoid, red.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 187; Kirk, Forest Fl. t. 29, 30.
North Island: Forests from Whangaroa and Hokianga southwards to Cook Strait, but rare north of the Upper Waikato. South Island: Marborough—Rai Valley, J. Rutland! Nelson—Near Brightwater, Kirk! Sea-level to 2500 ft. Orooro; Narrow-leaved Maire. November–January.