About Olea paniculata R.Br.
Olea paniculata R.Br. grows as a bushy tree reaching up to 30 m (98 ft) tall, and often has a sparse canopy. Its trunk has smooth grey-brown bark, reaches a maximum diameter of 90 cm (35 in), and may have some buttressing. The shiny green leaves are ovate to elliptical in shape, measuring 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) long and 1.5–6 cm (0.59–2.36 in) wide, with a pointed acuminate tip. Its oval blue-black fruits are 0.8–1.2 cm (0.3–0.5 in) long, and ripen from May to September. This species resembles the introduced weedy African olive, Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata. The introduced species differs by lacking the small depressions between the main and secondary leaf veins found on the underside of Olea paniculata leaves, and it grows in disturbed areas such as roadsides and waterways. Olea paniculata ranges from northeastern Queensland to the area near the Hunter Region in New South Wales, Australia. Within Australia, it grows near watercourses in dry rainforests. Outside Australia, it occurs in southwestern China’s Yunnan province, where it grows in sheltered wetter valleys at altitudes between 1,200–2,400 m (3,900–7,900 ft). It is also found in India, Indonesia, Kashmir, Malaysia, Nepal, New Guinea, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. On Lord Howe Island it is widespread below approximately 500 m (1,600 ft) elevation, and it also grows on New Caledonia and Vanuatu. In Australia, the fruit of Olea paniculata is eaten by the Australian king parrot, brown cuckoo-dove, topknot pigeon, rose-crowned fruit-dove, wompoo fruit-dove, white-headed pigeon, green catbird, and regent bowerbird. It acts as a fast-growing pioneer species on sunny protected sites, and requires well drained soil for healthy growth. It is a butterfly host plant, and its black fruit attracts birds. Aboriginal Australians traditionally ate its fruit.
