TreeCultivatedPerennialMedicinal

Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata (Wall. & G.Don) Cif.

Zaitoon · Kahu

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Description

Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree or shrub, commonly reaching 5–15 m tall. The crown is dense and rounded. Bark is grey-brown and becomes rough with age. Young branches are smooth and greyish. Leaves are simple, opposite, leathery, and narrowly lanceolate, usually 3–8 cm long. The upper surface is dark green, while the lower surface is covered with silvery-white hairs, giving a grey appearance. Margins are entire and slightly rolled downward. Flowers are small, bisexual or functionally unisexual, white to cream-coloured, and arranged in axillary panicles. Flowers have a four-lobed calyx and corolla, two stamens, and a superior ovary. Fruits are small ovoid drupes (olives), initially green and becoming dark purple-black when mature. Fruits contain a single hard stone.

Diagnostic Characters

Vegetative

Evergreen olive-like tree. Opposite leathery leaves. Silvery hairy leaf underside.

Floral

Small white flowers. Axillary panicles.

Fruit & Seed

Small olive-like drupes.

Phenology

Flowering

Fruiting

Flowering: March–May Fruiting: August–November

Ethnobotany & Uses

Food and Oil Uses

Fruits produce olive-like oil used locally for Cooking, Traditional applications.

Medicinal Importance

Leaves traditionally used for Antioxidant preparations, Blood pressure-related remedies. Contains Oleuropein, Phenolic compounds.

Ecological Importance

Drought-resistant tree. Important component of dry forest ecosystems.

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Where it grows on campus

North-East Campus1

individuals mapped across 1 zone

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Taxonomic Notes

This subspecies belongs to the olive complex (Olea europaea). It differs from cultivated olive (O. europaea subsp. europaea) by Smaller fruits, Wild growth habit, Adaptation to dry habitats, UniFlora Field Recognition Tip 🌿. Look for 🌳 Evergreen olive-like tree, 🍃 Silver-backed narrow leaves.