| Olive family | ||||||||||
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| Genera | ||||||||||
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Chionanthus fringe tree | ||||||||||
| † Some botanists include the Oleaceae in the order Lamiales. | ||||||||||
Oleaceae is the olive plant family. It includes woody shrubs, trees and vines, and is characterized by opposite leaves that may be simple or pinnately-compound. Calyx and corolla are four-lobed.
Many members of the family are economically important. The olive, Olea europaeae, is extremely important for its fruit and the oil extracted from it. The ashes, genus Fraxinus, are valued as shade trees, and Forsythia, lilac, jasmine, and fringe tree are all valued as landscaping plants.