Olea woodiana explained
Olea woodiana, known commonly as the forest olive or black ironwood (Afrikaans: Bosolienhout), is an African tree species belonging to the olive family (Oleaceae).[1]
The tree grows in lower-elevation hill forests from Kenya, Tanzania, Eswatini, and South Africa.
Description
Olea woodiana is a medium-sized to tall tree.[2] The axillary or terminal inflorescences carry small white flowers that are fragrant.[3]
Fruit are produced from late summer.[2] They are oval-shaped and ripen to a purple black colour, when they are consumed by birds.[2]
Subspecies
There are two recognized subspecies:[4]
- Olea woodiana subsp. disjuncta – Kenya, Tanzania
- Olea woodiana subsp. woodiana – Eswatini, South Africa
Notes and References
- 1893. Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie.. en. v.17 (1893).
- Web site: Olea woodiana . Witbos inheemse kwekery . 26 December 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161209044130/http://witbos.co.za/plant.aspx?plant=olea-woodiana . 9 December 2016 . dead .
- http://eol.org/pages/5654818/overview Encyclopedia of Life treatment: 'Olea woodiana
- http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=355076 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families Olea woodiana