Taxon:  Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea



Summary
Genus:
Olea
Subgenus:
Olea
Section:
Olea
Family:
Oleaceae
Tribe:
Oleeae
Nomen number:
400800
Verified:
01/29/2004 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
4 (0  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Olea europaea L. (156 active accession[s])
Olea europaea L. subsp. cerasiformis G. Kunkel & Sunding (0 active accession[s])
Olea europaea L. subsp. cuspidata (Wall. ex G. Don) Cif. (5 active accession[s])
Olea europaea L. subsp. guanchica P. Vargas et al. (0 active accession[s])
Olea europaea L. subsp. laperrinei (Batt. & Trab.) Cif. (0 active accession[s])
Olea europaea L. subsp. maroccana (Greuter & Burdet) P. Vargas et al. (0 active accession[s])
Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
  2. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
  4. Besnard, G. et al. 2007. On the origin of the invasive olives (Olea europaea L., Oleaceae). Heredity 99:608-619.
  5. Besnard, G. et al. 2009. Plastid and nuclear DNA polymorphism reveals historical processes of isolation and reticulation in the olive tree complex (Olea europaea). J. Biogeogr. 34:736-752.
  6. Besnard, G. et al. 2013. The complex history of the olive tree: from Late Quaternary diversification of Mediterranean lineages to primary domestication in the northern Levant. Proc. Roy. Soc. Biol. Sci. Ser. B 280:20122833.
  7. Boutelje, J. B. 1980. Encyclopedia of world timbers, names and technical literature
  8. Breton, C. et al. 2009. The origins and domestication of the olive tree. Compt. Rend. Biol. 332:1059-1064. Note: recognizes two varieties: europaea and sylvestris, the former cultivated, the latter "oleaster" wild
  9. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  10. Diez, C. M. et al. 2015. Olive domestication and diversification in the Mediterranean basin. New Phytol. 206:436-447. Note: it recognizes wild populations as var. sylvestris, while domesticated cultivars are recognized as var. sativa
  11. Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs Note: = Olea europaea
  12. Encke, F. et al. 1993. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 14. Auflage
  13. Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
  14. Green, P. S. 2002. A revision of Olea L. Kew Bull. 57:94-95. Note: recognizes 2 varieties, 1 cultivated & 1 feral
  15. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  16. Hannachi, H. et al. 2009. Oleaster (var. sylvestris) and subsp. cuspidata are suitable genetic resources for improvement of the olive (Olea europaea subsp. europaea var. europaea). Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 56:393-403.
  17. Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
  18. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland. Note: = Olea europaea
  19. Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus.
  20. Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
  21. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  22. Rehm, S. & G. Espig. 1991. The cultivated plants of the tropics and subtropics
  23. Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
  24. Reichel, S. 1998. pers. comm. Note: re. German common names
  25. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  26. Wagner, W. L. et al. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (on-line resource).
  27. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
  28. Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englisholive  1Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Frencholivier  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
GermanÖlbaum  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
GermanOlive  2Reichel, S. 1998. pers. comm. Note: re. German common names
GermanOlivenbaum  2Encke, F. et al. 1993. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 14. Auflage
Italianolivo  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portugueseoliveira  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanishaceituno  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanisholivo  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Transcribed Chinesemu xi lian  2Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaMacaronesiaPortugalMadeira Islands Green, P. S. 2002. A revision of Olea L. Kew Bull. 57:94-95. Note: recognizes 2 varieties, 1 cultivated & 1 feral
1NativeAfricaMacaronesiaSpainCanarias Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaAlgeria  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaLibya  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaMorocco  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaTunisia  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaCyprus  Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIsrael  Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaJordan  Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaTurkey  Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeAlbania  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeFormer Yugoslavia  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeGreece incl. CreteGreuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly incl. Sardinia, SicilyGreuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance incl. CorsicaTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropePortugal  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeSpain incl. BalearesTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
2Cultivated    widely cult.Green, P. S. 2002. A revision of Olea L. Kew Bull. 57:94-95. Note: recognizes 2 varieties, 1 cultivated & 1 feral
4NaturalizedAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaSouth Australia Besnard, G. et al. 2007. On the origin of the invasive olives (Olea europaea L., Oleaceae). Heredity 99:608-619.
4NaturalizedPacificNorth-Central PacificUnited StatesHawaii Besnard, G. et al. 2007. On the origin of the invasive olives (Olea europaea L., Oleaceae). Heredity 99:608-619.
Native
Africa
  • MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Madeira Islands]
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
Asia-Temperate
  • WESTERN ASIA: Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Turkey
Europe
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Former Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece (incl. Crete), Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily)
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal
Cultivated (widely cult.)
Naturalized
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia [South Australia]
Pacific
  • NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]

Reference(s)
  1. Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
  2. Besnard, G. et al. 2007. On the origin of the invasive olives (Olea europaea L., Oleaceae). Heredity 99:608-619.
  3. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  4. Green, P. S. 2002. A revision of Olea L. Kew Bull. 57:94-95. Note: recognizes 2 varieties, 1 cultivated & 1 feral
  5. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  6. Meikle, R. D. 1977-1985. Flora of Cyprus.
  7. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  8. Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Environmentalerosion control PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
Environmentalornamental PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
Food additivespreservative PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
Fuelsfuelwood PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
Human foodfruit Rehm, S. & G. Espig. 1991. The cultivated plants of the tropics and subtropics
Human foodoil/fat Rehm, S. & G. Espig. 1991. The cultivated plants of the tropics and subtropics
Materialslipidsfor cosmetics, lubricants, perfumery, soapsPROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
Materialswoodfor turnery, furniture, handicraftsBoutelje, J. B. 1980. Encyclopedia of world timbers, names and technical literature
Medicinesfolkloreas Olea europaeaMcGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Medicinesfolkloreas Olea europaeaDuke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs Note: = Olea europaea
Weed  Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=400800. Accessed 15 April 2026.