Oleaceæ

Oleaceæ, a natural order of exogenous plants, consisting of trees and shrubs, with opposite leaves, and flowers in racemes or panicles. Nearly 150 species are known, mostly natives of temperate countries. Among them are the olive, lilac, privet, phillyrea, fringe tree, &c. Between some of these there is a great dissimilarity, so that this order is apt to be regarded as a very heterogeneous group; but the real affinity of the species composing it is manifested by the fact that even those which seem most unlike can be grafted one upon another, as the lilac on the olive. Bitter, astringent, and tonic properties are prevalent in this order.