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Native Olive

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Notelaea ovata


Plant Number: 4

Common Name: Native Olive, Forest Olive

Scientific Name: Notelaea ovata 

Derivation of name

Notelaea - Greek elaia referring to olive tree

ovata - from Latin for 'ovate' referring to the leaf shape

Description

  • Low spreading shrub to one metre, can survive on rocky sandstone ridges and slopes

  • Stiff, leathery ovate leaves, opposite to 14 cm, but commonly much smaller than this

  • 3mm flowers all year round

  • Black drooping fruit to 10mm with a solitary seed

  • Very drought tolerant

Human uses

Manna and lerp found on the leaves, collected summer to early autumn

Acknowledgment: Mangroves to Mountains

Photo Credit: Janis Cossill



 

 


Last reviewed 17 May 2021
Last updated 17 May 2021