Flora Medica

OLEACE^E.Nat. syst. ed. 2. p. 307.OLEA.Calyx short, 4-toothed. Corolla short, hypocrateriform orrotate, with a flat 4-parted limb. Stamens rather projecting ;style very short ; stigma bifid, with emarginate segments. Drupe2-celled ;one of the cells usually abortive.1157. 0. europrea Linn. sp. pi 11. Vahl.enum i. 39. Fl.Grcec. t. 3. S. and C. i. t. 15. Olea sativa Hffsgg.ft. port.388. R. and S. i. 69 Common in all the South of Europe,Barbary, and the Levant. (Olive.)A small grey evergreen tree, with hoary rigid banches. Leaves lanceolate,or ovate-lanceolate, mucronate, short-stalked, green above,hoary on the under side. Racemes short, axillary, erect, very muchshorter than the leaves. Corolla white, with broad ovate segments.Fruit the size of a damson, purple, with a nauseous bitter flesh enclosinga sharp-pointed stone. From the pericarp is obtained bypressure the well-known substance called Olive oil ; the medical propertiesof which are demulcent, emollient and laxative. It entersextensively into the preparation of plasters, liniments, cerates, ointmentsand enemas. As an external application, accompanied by longcontinuedfriction of the skin, it has been found beneficial in preventingthe contagious influence of the plague. The bark is bitter and astringent,and has had a great reputation as a substitute for Cinchona,according to De Candolle. It also yields a kind of gum, or rather agum-like substance, once in repute as a vulnerary; this has beenfound by Messrs. Paoli and Pelletier to contain a peculiar substancewhich those chemists have named OlivUe.ORNUS.Calyx very small, 4-cleft. Corolla divided to the base intolinear segments. Pericarp a winged key not dehiscing.1158. O. europaea Pers. syn. i. 9. Mert. and Koch, deutsch.fl. i. 357. Dietr. i. sp. pi. 248. S. and C. i. t. 53. FraxinusOrnus Linn. sp. pi. 1510. Fl graze,t. 4. Woodv. t. 36.South of Europe especially Calabria and Apulia. (FloweringAsh.)A small tree 20 or 30 feet high, with a close round head. Leavesunequally pinnated, in 3 or 4 pairs leaflets stalked, oblong, acute,;serrated, very hairy at the base of the midrib on the under side. Paniclesdense, terminal, nodding. Petals narrow, white, and drooping.From the branches there exudes the bitter-sweet substance calledManna in the shops, well known as a useful gentle laxative.547 N N 2