Oleaceae Hoffmanns. & Link

First published in Fl. Portug. [Hoffmannsegg] 1: 62. 1809 [1 Sep 1809] (as "Oleinae") (1809)nom. cons.
This family is accepted

Descriptions

Lombardi, J.A. (2010). Neotropical Oleaceae.

Morphology
Description

Trees, shrubs or sometimes climbers ; unarmed . Leaves opposite, petiolate , commonly with swollen base, or sessile , simple , trifoliolate (Jasminum) or imparipinnate (Fraxinus, Jasminum), entire , dentate to obscurely crenulate , pilose domatia sometimes present in the axils of the primary veins and midrib , sometimes glandular in the abaxial side (Forestiera); stipules absent. Inflorescences terminal or axillary , cymose or racemose, rarely one-flowered. Flowers actinomorphic , bisexual or rarely unisexual (Forestiera, plants dioecious ); calyx 4(-15)-toothed, fused with short tube or sepals rarely free , lobes valvate , or calyx absent (Fraxinus); corolla present or absent (Forestiera, some Fraxinus) to early caducous (Priogymnanthus), 4- lobed (except some Jasminum species), fused with short tube or tube absent, rarely tube long and corolla somewhat infundibuliform or hypocrateriform (Jasminum, Menodora, Schrebera), petals sometimes united in pairs at the bases of the stamen  filaments, petals rarely free , lobes valvate or imbricate ; androecium with 2(-4) stamens, free , epipetalous, attached to the corolla tube, anthers dehiscence longitudinally; gynoecium syncarpous, ovary superior , carpels 2, locules 2, ovules 1-2(-4) per locule , axillary , pendulous, style 1, stigma 2- lobed or capitate . Fruits drupes, berries (Jasminum), samaroids (Fraxinus) or capsules (Schrebera, Menodora). Seeds 1(-2); endosperm present or near absent.

Distribution
Distribution in the Neotropics
  • Chionanthus L. - Mesoamerica, Caribbean.
  • Forestiera Poir. - Mesoamerica, Caribbean, and Ecuador.
  • Fraxinus L. - Mexico, Mesoamerica.
  • Haenianthus Griseb. - Cuba, Hispaniola.
  • Menodora Humb. & Bonpl. - Mexico, Southern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina.
  • Osmanthus Lour. - Mexico.
  • Priogymnanthus P.S.Green - Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay.
  • Schrebera Roxb. - Peru (?).
  • Jasminum L. - one species introduced as ornamental plant, now naturalized in South America and Caribbean.
  • Ligustrum L. - two or three species introduced as street trees, now naturalized in Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina.
Diagnostic
Useful tips for generic identification
  • Leaves composite - Jasminum (trifoliolate or imparipinnate, corolla present, fruit a 2-lobed berry) and Fraxinus (imparipinnate, apetalous, except by F. cuspidata from Mexico (Fragrant ash), fruit winged).
  • Leaves simple - Chionanthus (calyx and corolla present, petals valvate, drupes with hard endocarp).
  • Forestiera (flowers unisexual, calyx vestigial or absent, corolla absent, drupes).
  • Haenianthus (calyx and corolla present, petals valvate, peltate scales in the abaxial side of petals, drupes with thin endocarp).
  • Ligustrum (calyx and corolla present, petals valvate, berries or drupes with thin endocarp).
  • Menodora (calyx and corolla present, corolla lobes imbricate, capsules).
  • Osmanthus (calyx and corolla present, petals imbricate, drupes with hard endocarp).
  • Priogymnanthus (calyx absent, corolla early caduceus, drupes)
  • Schrebera (calyx campanulate, corolla infundibuliform to hypocrateriform, lobes imbricate, capsules).
Notable genera and distinguishing features
  • Chionanthus - corolla lobes 4, united in pairs at bases and characteristically linear, sometimes shortly oblong.
Distinguishing characters (always present)
  • Leaves opposite.
  • Corolla tetramerous and actinomorphic.
Other important characters
  • Stamens 2.
  • Ovules 2 per locule.
  • Fruit 1-seeded drupes.
Key differences from similar families
  • Leaves opposite and estipulate; flower with four petals and two stamens put this family beyond confusion with other Euasterids in the Lamiales.
General Description
Status
  • Native (Chionanthus, Forestiera, Fraxinus, Haenianthus, Menodora, Priogymnanthus and Schrebera).
  • Cultivated and naturalised (Jasminum and Ligustrum).
Notes on delimitation
  • Included in the Lamiales by the APGIII classification.
Number of genera
  • 10 genera: Chionanthus L., Forestiera Poir., Fraxinus L., Haenianthus Griseb., Jasminum L., Ligustrum L., Menodora Humb. & Bonpl., Osmanthus Lour., Priogymnanthus P.S.Green and Schrebera Roxb.
General notes
  • Hesperelaea palmeri A.Gray, only species on the genus, was endemic of Guadalupe Island, Mexico, but is reported as extinct by introduced goats.
Literature
Important literature

APG III. 2009. An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 161(3): 105-121.

Cornejo, X. & Bonifaz, C. 2006. Forestiera ecuadorensis: Una nueva especie endémica de Oleaceae y un nuevo registro genérico para Ecuador. Brittonia 58: 78-82.

Green, P.S. 1994. A Revision of Chionanthus (Oleaceae) in S. America and the Description of Priogymnanthus, gen. nov. Kew Bull. 49: 261-286.

Green, P.S. 2004. Oleaceae. In: Kadereit, J.W. (ed.). The families and genera of Vascular Plants vol 7, pp. 296-306. Springer Verlag, Berlin.Hammel, B.E. & Cornejo, X. 2009. Forestiera isabelae (Oleaceae), una especie nueva para Costa Rica. Novon 19: 52-55.

Steyermark, J.A. 1932. A revision of the genus Menodora. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 19. 87-160: 162-176.

Wallander, E. 2008. Systematics of Fraxinus (Oleaceae) and evolution of dioecy. Plant Syst. Evol. 273: 25-49.

Wallander, E. & Albert, V.A. 2000. Phylogeny and classification of Oleaceae based on rps16 and trnL-F sequence data. Amer. J. Bot. 87: 213-231.

Zona, S. 1991. A morphometric and taxonomic reevaluation of Haenianthus (Oleaceae). Canad. J. Bot. 69: 489-493.

[NTK]

Oleaceae, P.S. Green. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit
Trees, shrubs or climbers
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite or very rarely alternate, simple or pinnate; stipules absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphrodite or rarely unisexual, actinomorphic
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx lobed or dentate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals present, free or connate, often 4, imbricate or induplicate-valvate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Stamens hypogynous or epipetalous, usually 2; anthers apiculate, 2-celled, cells back to back, opening lengthwise
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries
Disk absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium
Ovary superior, 2-celled, style simple with a capitate or bifid stigma; ovules usually 2 in each cell, axile, pendulous or ascending
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit baccate or drupaceous; seeds usually with endosperm; embryo straight, the radicle sometimes hidden within the base of the cotyledons
[FWTA]

Oleaceae, W. B. Turrill. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1952

Morphology General Habit
Trees or shrubs, the latter sometimes trailers or scramblers
Morphology Leaves
Leaves generally opposite, simple or compound, exstipulate; small depressions occupied by mites and termed acarodomatia occur on the under side of the leaves of some species
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal or axillary, few- to many-flowered
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphrodite or rarely unisexual, regular
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx hypogynous, often campanulate and four-toothed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla gamopetalous, rarely absent or with the segments nearly free; lobes or segments generally spreading and mostly four (except in Jasminum)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Stamens usually two, epipetalous, with short filaments; no staminal disc
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium
Ovary superior, bilocular with generally two pendulous or basal ovules in each loculus attached to the apex, side, or the base of the partition
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit variable, dry or fleshy, dehiscent or indehiscent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds one to four per fruit; endosperm present but sometimes reduced to a thin membrane
[FTEA]

Oleaceae, F. K. Kupicha. Flora Zambesiaca 7:1. 1983

Morphology General Habit
Trees, shrubs, climbers or suffrutices
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite, rarely verticillate or alternate, exstipulate, simple or pinnate, sometimes with acarodomatia (small ± circular pits, often densely fringed with hairs) in axils of nerves on lower leaf–surface
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence cymose, often paniculate (thyrsoid), sometimes fasciculate, sometimes only one flower developing
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers actinomorphic, hermaphrodite or rarely unisexual (not in FZ area), sometimes heterostylous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx gamosepalous, lobes 4–many (obscure in Schrebera)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla gamopetalous, lobes 4–many
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Stamens 2, epipetalous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium
Ovary superior, bicarpellate, bilocular, with 1, 2 or 4 ovules per loculus, axile, pendulous or ascending; style 1, stigma capitate or bifid
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit baccate, drupaceous or capsular
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds sometimes winged, usually endospermous
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Neotropikey

    • Milliken, W., Klitgard, B. and Baracat, A. (2009 onwards), Neotropikey - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0