OLEASTER, or Wild Olive: A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the tetrandria class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 16th order, Calyciflorae. There is no corolla; the calyx is campanulated, quadrifid, superior; the fruit is a plum below the campanulated calyx. There are three species: 1. The spinosa, or eastern broad-leaved olive with a large fruit, is a native of the Levant and some parts of Germany. The leaves are about two inches long, and one and a half broad in the middle. They are placed alternate, and of a silver colour: at the footstalks of every leaf there comes out a pretty long sharp thorn, which are alternately longer: the flowers are small, the inside of the empalement is yellow, and they have a strong scent when fully open. 2. The inermis, without thorns, is that kind commonly preserved in the gardens of this country. The leaves are more than three inches long, and half an inch broad, and have a shining appearance like fatting. The flowers come out at the footstalks of the leaves, sometimes singly, at other times two, and sometimes three, at the same place. The outside of the empalement is silvery and studded; the inside of a pale yellow, and having a very strong scent. The flowers appear in July, and are sometimes succeeded by fruit. 3. The latifolia, with oval leaves, is a native of Ceylon, and some other parts of India. In this country it rises with a woody stem to the height of eight or nine feet, dividing into many crooked branches, garnished with oval and silvery leaves, which have several irregular spots of a dark colour on the surface. They are placed alternately on the branches, and continue all the year.

Culture, &c. The two first may be propagated by laying down the young shoots in autumn. They will take root in one year; when they may be cut off from the old trees, and either transplanted into a nursery for two or three years to be trained up, or into places where they are to remain. The proper time for this is in the beginning of March or early in the autumn. They should be placed where they may be screened from high winds; for they grow very freely, and are apt to be split by the wind if they are too much exposed. The third sort is too tender to endure the open air of this country; and therefore must be kept in a warm stove, except during a short time in the warmest part of summer.

From the flowers of these plants an aromatic and cordial water has been drawn, which is said to have been successfully used in putrid and pestilential fevers. The genus eleocharis is not to be confounded with the oleaster or wild olive of Gerard, Parkinson, and Ray. The last is only a particular species of olive, called by Tournefort and Caspar Bauhine, olea sylvestris. See Olea.