Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata

It is an aggressive invasive species that can infest dry woodland areas, riparian zones, headlands and dune systems.

The leaves have an opposite, decussate arrangement, and are entire, 3 to 7 centimetres (1.2 to 2.8 in) long and 8 to 25 millimetres (0.3 to 1 in) wide; the apex is acute with a small hook or point, and the base is attenuate to cuneate.

[6] In areas where it is not native, such as Australia, it is classified as an environmental weed spread mainly by birds eating the fruit.

It is widely naturalized in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, where it is found in bushlands, parks, roadsides and waste areas on the coast and in highlands, where it would alter the original composition of the native vegetation.

[7] The wood is much-prized and durable, with a strong smell similar to bay rum, and is used for fine furniture and turnery.

They contain a biologically important oleanolic compound isolated from the chloroform extract (Anwar et al.

[8] The ripened fruits serve as a source of natural antioxidants due to their potential total phenolic compounds (Sharma et al.

Leaves
Mature tree in Cape Town , South Africa.