{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{Automatic taxobox |image = Olax imbricata Blanco2.311-cropped.jpg |image_caption = ''Olax imbricata'' |taxon = Olax |authority = L. (1753)<ref name=apni>{{APNI2|id=102574|name=''Olax'' L.}}</ref><ref name=linn>Linnaeus, C. (1753), Species Plantarum 1: 34.</ref> |synonyms = *''Drebbelia'' {{small|Zoll. (1857)}} *''Dulacia'' {{small|Vell. (1829)}} *''Fissilia'' {{small|Comm. ex Juss. (1789)}} *''Hypocarpus'' {{small|A.DC. (1844)}} *''Liriosma'' {{small|Poepp. (1843)}} *''Lopadocalyx'' {{small|Klotzsch (1845)}} *''Pseudaleia'' {{small|Thouars (1806)}} *''Pseudaleioides'' {{small|Thouars (1806)}} *''Spermaxyrum'' {{small|Labill. (1806)}} |synonyms_ref = <ref name = powo/> }}
'''''Olax''''' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. It includes 52 species native to the tropics of South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia.<ref name = powo/> The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species.<ref name=foa>{{Cite web|url=https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Olax|title=Profile" ''Olax'', Flora of Australia online|website=profiles.ala.org.au|access-date=2019-08-05}}</ref> ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, some species have leaves and fruits smelling of garlic such as ''Olax subscorpioidea'' and ''Olax gambecola'', seeds of the latter are used as condiments in parts of West Africa. In India ''Olax nana'' is well known as one of the first species to emerge after forest fires, the shoots growing directly from buried roots.<ref>Flowering Plants of the World by consultant editor Vernon H. Heywood, 1978, Oxford University Press, Walton Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, England, {{ISBN|019217674-9}}</ref>
==Species== The type species is ''O. zeylanica''.<ref name="foa" /> According to Plants of the World Online<ref name = powo>{{Cite web|url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:28242-1|title=''Olax'' L. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science|website=Plants of the World Online|access-date=4 May 2024}}</ref> the genus contains the following 52 species:
# ''Olax acuminata'' {{small|Wall. ex Benth.}} # ''Olax angulata'' {{small|A.S.George}} # ''Olax angustifolia'' {{small|Compère}} # ''Olax antsiranensis'' {{small|Z.S.Rogers, Malécot & Sikes}} # ''Olax aphylla'' {{small|R.Br.}} # ''Olax aschersoniana'' {{small|Büttner}} # ''Olax aurantia'' {{small|A.S.George}} # ''Olax austrosinensis'' {{small|Y.R.Ling}} # ''Olax benthamiana'' {{small|Miq.}} # ''Olax candida'' {{small|(Poepp.) Christenh. & Byng}} # ''Olax capuronii'' {{small|Z.S.Rogers, Malécot & Sikes}} # ''Olax crassa'' {{small|(Monach.) Christenh. & Byng}} # ''Olax cyanocarpa'' {{small|(Sleumer) Christenh. & Byng}} # ''Olax dissitiflora'' {{small|Oliv.}} # ''Olax egleri'' {{small|(Bastos) Christenh. & Byng}} # ''Olax emirnensis'' {{small|Baker}} # ''Olax gambecola'' {{small|Baill.}} # ''Olax gardneriana'' {{small|Benth.}} # ''Olax gossweileri'' {{small|Exell & Mendonça}} # ''Olax guianensis'' {{small|(Engl.) Christenh. & Byng}} # ''Olax hypoleuca'' {{small|Baill.}} # ''Olax imbricata'' {{small|Roxb.}} # ''Olax inopiflora'' {{small|(Miers) Christenh. & Byng}} # ''Olax lanceolata'' {{small|Cavaco & Keraudren}} # ''Olax latifolia'' {{small|Engl.}} # ''Olax macrophylla'' {{small|Benth.}} # ''Olax madagascariensis'' {{small|(DC.) Cavaco}} # ''Olax mannii'' {{small|Oliv.}} # ''Olax mayottensis'' {{small|Z.S.Rogers, Malécot & Sikes}} # ''Olax nana'' {{small|Wall. ex Benth.}} # ''Olax obcordata'' {{small|A.S.George}} # ''Olax obtusifolia'' {{small|De Wild.}} # ''Olax papillosa'' {{small|(Bastos) Christenh. & Byng}} # ''Olax pauciflora'' {{small|Benth.}} # ''Olax pendula'' {{small|L.S.Sm.}} # ''Olax pentandra'' {{small|Sleumer}} # ''Olax phyllanthi'' {{small|R.Br.}} # ''Olax psittacorum'' {{small|(Lam.) Vahl}} # ''Olax redmondii'' {{small|(Steyerm.) Christenh. & Byng}} # ''Olax retusa'' {{small|F.Muell. ex Benth.}} # ''Olax scalariformis'' {{small|A.S.George}} # ''Olax scandens'' {{small|Roxb.}} # ''Olax singularis'' {{small|(Vell.) Christenh. & Byng}} # ''Olax spartea'' {{small|A.S.George}} # ''Olax staudtii'' {{small|Engl.}} # ''Olax stricta'' {{small|R.Br.}} # ''Olax subscorpioidea'' {{small|Oliv.}} # ''Olax tepuiensis'' {{small|(Steyerm.) Christenh. & Byng}} # ''Olax thouarsii'' {{small|(DC.) Valeton}} # ''Olax triplinervia'' {{small|Oliv.}} # ''Olax wildemanii'' {{small|Engl.}} # ''Olax zeylanica'' {{small|L.}}
==Gallery== <gallery> Olax phyllanthi Mt Adelaide Albany.jpg| ''Olax phyllanthi'' Olax imbricata Roxb. (8503288374).jpg| ''Olax imbricata'', flowers Olax imbricata Roxb. (8729382306).jpg| ''Olax imbricata'', fruit Olax scandens seeds, by Omar Hoftun.jpg| ''Olax scandens'', seeds Olax imbricata Roxb. (12909987654).jpg| ''Olax imbricata'', bark </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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Category:Olacaceae Category:Santalales genera Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Category:Pantropical flora