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• Taxonomy
• Physical Description
• Distribution
• Landscaping
• Growth
• Similar Species
• Bibliography
• More Info
• Notes
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Taxonomy

Physical Description

Family Oleaceae:

Trees or erect or scandent shrubs. Branches and branchlets lenticellate. Leaves opposite, rarely alternate or whorled, simple, trifoliolate, or pinnately compound, without stipules; venation pinnate or palmate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, in cymes, panicles, racemes, umbels, or fascicles. Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual, rarely unisexual or polygamous and plants monoecious, dioecious, or polygamodioecious. Calyx 4(-16) -lobed or -parted, rarely absent. Corolla 4(-16) -lobed, sometimes almost free to base, rarely absent; lobes sometimes united in pairs at base or into a very short tube. Stamens 2(-4), inserted on corolla tube or hypogynous; anthers dehiscing longitudinally; pollen 3-colpate or 3-colporate. Ovary superior, 2-loculed; ovules 2 in each locule, sometimes 1 or numerous. Style 1 or absent; stigma 2-lobed or capitate. Fruit a drupe, berry, capsule, or samara. Seeds with straight embryo, with or without endosperm; radicle curved upward or downward.

About 28 genera and over 400 species: tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions of world, but mainly in Asia. China has 10 genera and 160 species (95 endemic) and is the center of diversity for the genera Forsythia, Syringa, Osmanthus, and Ligustrum.

Many genera are important economically: Fraxinus and Forsythia (medicinal, ornamental) ; Jasminum, Osmanthus, and Syringa (spice, ornamental) ; Olea (oil) ; and Fraxinus (timber) .^[1]

Genus Ligustrum:

Shrubs or small trees, deciduous or evergreen. Leaves opposite, simple, short petiolate; leaf blade entire. Inflorescences terminal panicles of cymes, rarely lateral. Flowers bisexual, sessile or pedicellate. Calyx campanulate, truncate or 4-toothed, persistent. Corolla white, rotate, funnelform, or salverform, 4-lobed; lobes ca. as long as or shorter than corolla tube, valvate in bud. Stamens 2, inserted at mouth of corolla tube, included or exserted; anthers yellow or sometimes purple, oblong. Ovules 2 in each locule, pendulous. Style shorter than stamens; stigma 2-cleft. Fruit a berrylike drupe with membranous or papery endocarp, rarely drupaceous or loculicidal. Seeds 1-4; endosperm fleshy; radicle short, upward.

About 45 species: Asia, Australia, Europe; 27 species in China. Ligustrum japonicum Thunberg and L. ovalifolium Hasskarl, native to Japan and S Korea, are widely cultivated in China. No material of L. matsudae Kanehira ex Shimizu & Kao and L. seisuiense Shimizu & Kao, both described from Taiwan, has been seen.^[2]

Habit: Evergreen.

Flowers: Bloom Period: January, February, March, April, May. • Flower Color: near white, white

Distribution

Landscaping

Care: Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring. For a tidy, neat appearance, shear annually to shape.

Growth

Culture: Space 4-6' apart.

Soil: Minimum pH: 4.5 • Maximum pH: .1

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full to partial sun

Moisture: Drought Tolerance: High • Water Requirements: Water regularly, when top 3 in. of soil is dry.

Temperature: Heat Zones: High: 12 (>210 days) Low:1 (< 1 days) (map) • Cold Hardiness: High:11 (Above 40 F) Low:8 (10 to 20 F) (map)

Similar Species

Members of the genus Ligustrum:

There are approximately 305 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: L. ibolium · L. vicaryi · L. 'Korean Dwarf' · L. 'Vicaryi' · L. acuminatum · L. acutissimum · L. acutissimum var. glabrum · L. album · L. amamianum · L. amamianum var. rotundifolium · L. amurense (Amur North River Privet) · L. amurensis (Amur River Privet Hedge) · L. angustifolium · L. angustum · L. argyi · L. astralianum · L. australianum · L. australlanum · L. bodinieri · L. brachystachium · L. brachystachyum · L. bracteolatum · L. caeruleum · L. californicum · L. calleryanum · L. candolleanum · L. ceylanicum · L. chenaultii · L. chinense · L. ciliatum · L. compactum · L. compactum var. velutinum · L. confusum · L. coriaceum · L. coryanum · L. cotinifolium · L. cumingianum · L. decaisnei · L. deciduum · L. decipiens · L. delavayanum (Chinese Privet) · L. delavayanum morrisonense · L. delavayanum subsp. morrisonense · L. esquirolii · L. expansum · L. foliosum · L. formosanum · L. fortunei · L. gamblei · L. glabrinerve · L. glabrum · L. glomeratum · L. gracile · L. groffiae · L. gyirongense · L. henryi · L. hisauchii · L. hookeri · L. ibolium · L. ibota · L. indicum · L. insulare · L. insulense · L. ionandrum · L. italicum · L. iwaki · L. japonica (Japanese Privet) · L. japonica var. Korean Choice · L. japonicium · L. japonicum (Japanese Privet) · L. japonicum 'Aureum' · L. japonicum 'Coriaceum Aureum' · L. japonicum 'Coriaceum' · L. japonicum 'Jack Frost' (Jack Frost Privet) · L. japonicum 'Korean Choice' (Korean Choice Privet) · L. japonicum 'Macrophyllum' · L. japonicum 'Melgreen' · L. japonicum 'Nobilis' (Noble Privet) · L. japonicum 'Recurvifolium' (Curled-Leaf Privet) · L. japonicum 'Silver Star' · L. japonicum 'Texanum Argenteum' · L. japonicum 'Texanum' (Waxleaf Privet) · L. japonicum f. pubescens · L. japonicum f. rotundifolium · L. japonicum Green Century = 'Melgreen' · L. japonicum Thunb. 'Revolutum' · L. japonicum Thunb. 'Variegatum' (Japanese Privet) · L. japonicum var. pricei · L. japonicum var. rotundifolium (Japanese Privet) · L. kellerianum · L. kellermanni · L. kellermannii · L. kiyozumianum · L. kumaonense · L. lanceolatum · L. lancifolium · L. latifolium · L. laurifolium · L. leucanthum · L. lianum

Bibliography

• Chang Mei-chen, Miao Bo-mao, Lu Rui-ling, & Qiu Lian-qing in: Chang Mei-chen & Qiu Lian-qing, eds. 1992. Oleaceae. Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 61: 1-222.

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Notes

Contributors:

• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2007. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed March 24, 2007.

Identifiers:

• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 710198

Footnotes:

1. Mei-chen Chang, Lien-ching Chiu, Zhi Wei & Peter S. Green "Oleaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 15 Page 272. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
2. "Ligustrum". in Flora of China Vol. 15 Page 299. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.