African olive

Olea europaea subspecies cuspidata

Alternative Name(s): Olea europaea subspecies africana, Olea africana, Olea cuspidata.

Family: Oleaceae.

Form: Tree

Origin: Native to Africa.

Flowers/Seedhead: In clusters at the end of branches. Flowers cream to greenish. Flowers mostly spring.

Description: Shrub or branched tree to about 12 m high. Leaves oblong to elliptic; upper surface glossy grey-green, margins entire and recurved.

Distinguishing features: Distinguished by simple leaves with silver, green or brown scaly undersurface; curved leaf tip; absence of small depressions between the main and secondary veins on the back of the leaf (domatia); fruit to 1 cm long, purple-black and succulent when ripe.

Dispersal: Spread by bird-dispersed seed. Also vegetatively by cuttings and pieces.

Confused With: There is confusion as to where subspecies cuspidata and subspecies europaea are naturalised in Australia. Subspecies europaea has leaves with a whitish or silvery scaly lower surface and without a small hook at the leaf tip. Olea paniculata, a native, has small depressions between the main and secondary veins on the back of the leaf.