{{short description|Subspecies of the olive tree}} {{Infraspeciesbox |image = Starr-090421-6209-Olea europaea subsp cuspidata-fruit and leaves-Pukalani-Maui (24584684079).jpg |genus = Olea |species = europaea |subspecies = cuspidata |authority = (Wall. & G.Don) Cif.<ref name=WCSP>{{cite web |url=http://wcsp.science.kew.org/namedetail.do?name_id=355603 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929171309/https://wcsp.science.kew.org/namedetail.do?name_id=355603 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 29, 2020 |title=''Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata'' |work=World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP) |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew }}</ref> |synonyms = {{collapsible list| *''Linociera lebrunii'' <small>Staner in Rev. Zool. Bot. Africaines 22: 244 (1932)</small> *''Olea africana'' <small>Mill. in Gard. Dict., ed. 8.: n.° 4 (1768)</small> *''Olea asiatica'' {{au|Desf. in Tabl. École Bot., ed. 3: 88 (1829), nom. nud.}} *''Olea aucheri'' <small>A.Chev. ex Ehrend. in Anz. Österr. Akad. Wiss., Math.-Naturwiss. Kl. 97: 156 (1960)</small> *''Olea chrysophylla'' <small>Lam. in Tabl. Encycl. 1: 29 (1791)</small> *''Olea chrysophylla'' var. ''aucheri'' {{au|A.Chev. in Rev. Intern. Bot. Appl. Paris 28(303-304): 18 (1948)}} *''Olea chrysophylla'' var. ''cuspidata'' {{au|(Wall. ex G.Don) A.Chev. in Rev. Bot. Appl. Agric. Trop. 28: 18 (1948)}} *''Olea chrysophylla'' var. ''ferruginea'' {{au|(Royle) A.Chev. in Rev. Bot. Appl. Agric. Trop. 28: 18 (1948)}} *''Olea chrysophylla'' var. ''nubica'' {{au|(Schweinf. ex Baker) A.Chev. in Rev. Bot. Appl. Agric. Trop. 28: 18 (1948)}} *''Olea chrysophylla'' var. ''somaliensis'' {{au|(Baker) A.Chev. in Rev. Bot. Appl. Agric. Trop. 28: 18 (1948)}} *''Olea chrysophylla'' var. ''subnuda'' {{au|R.E.Fr. in Wiss. Erg. Schwed. Rhodesia-Kongo-Exp. 1911-1912, 1: 258 (1916)}} *''Olea chrysophylla'' var. ''verrucosa'' {{au|(Willd.) A.Chev. in Rev. Bot. Appl. Agric. Trop. 28: 19 (1948)}} *''Olea cuspidata'' <small>Wall. ex G.Don in Gen. Hist. 4: 49 (1837)</small> *''Olea europaea'' f. ''dulcis'' {{au|Collen. in Bot. Mag. (Kew Mag.) 5: 38 (1988), nom. illeg.}} *''Olea europaea'' subsp. ''africana'' {{au|(Mill.) P.S.Green in Kew Bull. 34: 69 (1979)}} *''Olea europaea'' var. ''cuspidata'' {{au|(Wall. ex G.Don) Cif. in Olivicoltore 19(5): 96 (1942)}} *''Olea europaea'' var. ''ferruginea'' {{au|(Royle) Cif. in Oleaia 3-4: 3 (1950), nom. illeg.}} *''Olea europaea'' var. ''nubica'' {{au|Schweinf. ex Baker in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 4(1): 18 (1902)}} *''Olea europaea'' var. ''verrucosa'' {{au|Willd. in Sp. Pl., ed. 4. 1: 44 (1797)}} *''Olea ferruginea'' {{au|Royle in Ill. Bot. Himal. Mts.: 267 (1835), nom. illeg.}} *''Olea indica'' <small>Kleinhof ex Burm.f. in Fl. Indica: 6 (1768)</small> *''Olea kilimandscharica'' <small>Knobl. in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 12: 200 (1934)</small> *''Olea monticola'' <small>Gand. in Bull. Soc. Bot. France 65: 58 (1918)</small> *''Olea sativa'' var. ''verrucosa'' {{au|(Willd.) Roem. & Schult. in Syst. Pl. 1: 69 (1817)}} *''Olea schimperi'' <small>Gand. in Bull. Soc. Bot. France 65: 58 (1918)</small> *''Olea similis'' {{au|Burch. in Trav. S. Africa 1: 177 (1822), nom. superfl.}} *''Olea somaliensis'' <small>Baker in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 4(1): 18 (1902)</small> *''Olea subtrinervata'' <small>Chiov. in Atti Reale Accad. Italia, Mem. Cl. Sci. Fis. 11: 49 (1940)</small> *''Olea verrucosa'' <small>(Willd.) Link in Enum. Hort. Berol. Alt. 1: 33 (1821)</small> *''Olea verrucosa'' var. ''brachybotrys'' {{au|DC. in Prodr. 8: 285 (1844)}} }} |synonyms_ref = <ref name=WCSP/><ref name="Powo">{{cite web |title=''Olea europaea'' subsp. ''cuspidata'' (Wall. & G.Don) Cif. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77190043-1#synonyms |website=Plants of the World Online |access-date=29 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref> }}
'''''Olea europaea'' subsp. ''cuspidata''''' is a subspecies of the well-known olive tree (''Olea europaea''), which until recently was considered a separate species (''Olea africana'') and is still mentioned as such in many sources. Native to mostly dry areas across sub-Saharan Africa, West Asia, the Himalayan region and southern China,<ref>{{cite web |title=Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata (Wall. & G.Don) Cif. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77190043-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |access-date=4 May 2024 |language=en}}</ref> it has various common names, including '''wild olive''', '''African olive''', '''brown olive''' and '''Indian olive'''.<ref name=GRIN>{{GRIN | access-date=27 June 2014}}</ref>
It is the ancestor of the cultivated olive and it has been introduced to Australia, New Zealand and the US. It is an aggressive invasive species that can infest dry woodland areas, riparian zones, headlands and dune systems.<ref name = CABI>[https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/37331 Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata (wild olive)] CAB International. Retrieved 17 January 2022.</ref>
==Description== thumb|left|Leaves [[File:Olea_europaea_cuspidata-africana_Cape_Town.JPG|thumb|left|Mature tree in Cape Town, South Africa.]] This much-branched evergreen tree varies in size from {{convert|2|to|15|m|ft|sigfig=1}} high. The leaves have an opposite, decussate arrangement, and are entire, {{convert|3|to|7|cm}} long and {{convert|8|to|25|mm||sigfig=1}} wide; the apex is acute with a small hook or point, and the base is attenuate to cuneate.
Leaf margins are entire and recurved, the upper surface is grey-green and glossy, and the lower surface has a dense covering of silvery, golden or brown scales. Domatia are absent; venation is obvious on the upper surface and obscure on the lower surface; the petiole is up to {{convert|10|mm|1}} long.
In drier areas, the plant may be less than {{convert|1|m}} tall within 5–10 years, though it may still reach sexual maturity at around five to six years when it is a shrub at {{convert|4|m}}} high. In the right conditions, the plant can reach its full height of {{convert|10|to|13|m|ft|sigfig=1}} between 8 and 12 years.<ref name = CABI/>
===Inflorescence and fruit=== The flowers are small and inconspicuous, usually appearing in spring. The calyx is four-lobed, about {{convert|1|mm|2}} long. The corolla is greenish-white or cream; the tube is {{convert|1|to|2|mm}} long; lobes are about {{convert|3|mm}} long and reflexed at the anthesis. The two stamens are fused near the top of the corolla tube, with bilobed stigma.
Fruit are borne in panicles or racemes {{convert|50|to|60|mm}} long. The fruit are edible but bitter. The globose to ellipsoid fruit is a drupe, {{convert|6|mm}} in diameter and {{convert|15|to|25|mm}} long; it is fleshy, glaucous to a dull shine when ripe, and purple-black.
==Distribution== It is extensively found through Africa (i.e. Egypt, Eastern Africa, Central Africa and Southern Africa), the Mascarenes (i.e. Mauritius and Réunion), western Asia (i.e. Arabian Peninsula, Afghanistan and Iran), the Indian sub-continent (i.e. northern India, Nepal and Pakistan) and western China. Subtropical dry forests of ''Olea europaea cuspidata'' are found in the Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests ecoregion.<ref>[https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/olea_europaea_subsp._cuspidata.htm Olea europaea L. subsp. cuspidata (Wall. ex G. Don) Cif.] by Special edition of Environmental Weeds of Australia for Biosecurity Queensland (Queensland Government). Retrieved 3 February 2021</ref>
In areas where it is not native, such as Australia, it is classified as an environmental weed spread mainly by birds eating the fruit. It is widely naturalized in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, where it is found in bushlands, parks, roadsides and waste areas on the coast and in highlands, where it would alter the original composition of the native vegetation. It was first introduced to Australia in the mid 19th century for ornamental reasons.<ref>[https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/weeds-australia/profile/Olea%20europaea%20subsp.%20cuspidata Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata (Wall. ex G.Don) Cif.] Weeds Australia – Profiles. August 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2021.</ref>
==Uses== The wood is much-prized and durable, with a strong smell similar to bay rum, and is used for fine furniture and turnery. The wood is strong, hard, durable and heavy and resistant to termites and wood borers. The spindle wood is very light, while the heartwood is dark yellow to reddish brown.
''Olea europaea'' subsp. ''cuspidata'' produces edible fruit. They contain a biologically important oleanolic compound isolated from the chloroform extract (Anwar et al. 2013).<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Anwar |first1=P. |last2=Bendini |first2=A. |last3=Gulfraz |first3=M. |last4=Qureshi |first4=R. |last5=Valli |first5=E. |last6=Di Lecce |first6=G. |last7=Toschi |first7=T.G. |title=Characterization of olive oils obtained from wild olive trees (''Olea ferruginea'' Royle) in Pakistan. |journal=Food Research International |date=2013 |volume=54 |issue=2 |pages=1965–1971 |doi=10.1016/j.foodres.2013.09.029 }}</ref> The ripened fruits serve as a source of natural antioxidants due to their potential total phenolic compounds (Sharma et al. 2013).<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sharma |first1=R.K. |last2=Sharma |first2=N. |last3=Samant |first3=S.S. |last4=Nandi |first4=S.K. |last5=Palni |first5=L.M.S. |title=Antioxidant activities in methanolic extracts of ''Olea ferruginea'' royle fruits. |journal=International Journal of Bioscience, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics |date=2013 |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=1–3}}</ref> Traditionally in the Himalayas, the fruit of ''Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata'' has been used as medicine (Hassan et al. 2022).<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hassan |first1=H.U. |last2=Raja |first2=N.I. |last3=Abasi |first3=F. |last4=Mehmood |first4=A. |last5=Qureshi |first5=R. |last6=Manzoor |first6=Z. |last7=Pro'cków |first7=J. |title=Comparative study of antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of ''Olea ferruginea'' fruit extract and its mediated selenium nanoparticles. |journal=Molecules |date=2022 |volume=27 |issue=16 |page=5194 |doi=10.3390/molecules27165194 |pmid=36014433 |pmc=9415542 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
This species is cultivated as an ornamental tree for parks and gardens. It is also used for the production of table olives and oil. The sap of the fruit of this tree can also be used to make ink.
== Taxonomy == ''Olea europaea'' subsp. ''cuspidata'' is widely distributed, diverged early, and is genetically most distinct of the wild olives. DNA analysis has suggested that subsp. ''cuspidata'' is not monophyletic and is sister to the other 5 subspecies of ''Olea europaea''.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Besnard |first1=Guillaume |last2=Rubio de Casas |first2=Rafael |last3=Christin |first3=Pascal-Antoine |last4=Vargas |first4=Pablo |date=July 2009 |title=Phylogenetics of Olea (Oleaceae) based on plastid and nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences: Tertiary climatic shifts and lineage differentiation times |journal=Annals of Botany |language=en |volume=104 |issue=1 |pages=143–160 |doi=10.1093/aob/mcp105 |issn=1095-8290 |pmc=2706730 |pmid=19465750}}</ref> Samples of subsp. ''cuspidata'' from Africa and Arabia have been found to be divergent from other accessions, leading to the proposal of an additional ''O. europaea'' subspecies ''ferruginea''.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Julca |first1=Irene |last2=Vargas |first2=Pablo |last3=Gabaldón |first3=Toni |date=2023-04-17 |title=Phylogenomics of the Olea europaea complex using 15 whole genomes supports recurrent genetic admixture together with differentiation into seven subspecies |journal=BMC Biology |language=en |volume=21 |issue=1 |article-number=85 |doi=10.1186/s12915-023-01583-5 |doi-access=free |issn=1741-7007 |pmc=10111821 |pmid=37069619}}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery> Starr-090514-7848-Olea europaea subsp cuspidata-flowers-Kula-Maui (24324698064).jpg|Flowers Starr 070111-3139 Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata.jpg|Leaves Olea europaea subsp cuspidata, groen vrugte, Buffelsdrift, a.jpg|Unripe fruit Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata (Olea africana) - Jardín Botánico de Barcelona - Barcelona, Spain - DSC09253.JPG|Jardí Botànic de Barcelona Olea europaea subsp cuspidata, groen en ryp vrugte, Buffelsdrift, a.jpg|Ripe fruit (dark purple) Olea europea subsp cuspidata - Cape Olive - Table Mountain.jpg|Trunk of old tree Starr-980826-1622-Olea europaea subsp cuspidata-seedlings-Makawao-Maui (24228322810).jpg|Seedling infestation </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata|''Olea europaea'' subsp. ''cuspidata''}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2671594}}
europaea subsp. cuspidata Category:Plant subspecies Category:Trees of Africa Category:Trees of the Arabian Peninsula Category:Trees of Western Asia Category:Trees of China Category:Trees of the Indian subcontinent Category:Flora naturalised in Australia