Olax is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. It includes 52 species native to the tropics of South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia.[3] The name derives from the Latin, olax (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the Olax species.[4] Olax is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, some species have leaves and fruits smelling of garlic such as Olax subscorpioidea and Olax gambecola, seeds of the latter are used as condiments in parts of West Africa. In India Olax nana is well known as one of the first species to emerge after forest fires, the shoots growing directly from buried roots.[5]

Olax
Olax imbricata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Santalales
Family: Olacaceae
Genus: Olax
L. (1753)[1][2]
Synonyms[3]
  • Drebbelia Zoll. (1857)
  • Dulacia Vell. (1829)
  • Fissilia Comm. ex Juss. (1789)
  • Hypocarpus A.DC. (1844)
  • Liriosma Poepp. (1843)
  • Lopadocalyx Klotzsch (1845)
  • Pseudaleia Thouars (1806)
  • Pseudaleioides Thouars (1806)
  • Spermaxyrum Labill. (1806)

Species

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The type species is O. zeylanica.[4] According to Plants of the World Online[3] the genus contains the following 52 species:

  1. Olax acuminata Wall. ex Benth.
  2. Olax angulata A.S.George
  3. Olax angustifolia Compère
  4. Olax antsiranensis Z.S.Rogers, Malécot & Sikes
  5. Olax aphylla R.Br.
  6. Olax aschersoniana Büttner
  7. Olax aurantia A.S.George
  8. Olax austrosinensis Y.R.Ling
  9. Olax benthamiana Miq.
  10. Olax candida (Poepp.) Christenh. & Byng
  11. Olax capuronii Z.S.Rogers, Malécot & Sikes
  12. Olax crassa (Monach.) Christenh. & Byng
  13. Olax cyanocarpa (Sleumer) Christenh. & Byng
  14. Olax dissitiflora Oliv.
  15. Olax egleri (Bastos) Christenh. & Byng
  16. Olax emirnensis Baker
  17. Olax gambecola Baill.
  18. Olax gardneriana Benth.
  19. Olax gossweileri Exell & Mendonça
  20. Olax guianensis (Engl.) Christenh. & Byng
  21. Olax hypoleuca Baill.
  22. Olax imbricata Roxb.
  23. Olax inopiflora (Miers) Christenh. & Byng
  24. Olax lanceolata Cavaco & Keraudren
  25. Olax latifolia Engl.
  26. Olax macrophylla Benth.
  27. Olax madagascariensis (DC.) Cavaco
  28. Olax mannii Oliv.
  29. Olax mayottensis Z.S.Rogers, Malécot & Sikes
  30. Olax nana Wall. ex Benth.
  31. Olax obcordata A.S.George
  32. Olax obtusifolia De Wild.
  33. Olax papillosa (Bastos) Christenh. & Byng
  34. Olax pauciflora Benth.
  35. Olax pendula L.S.Sm.
  36. Olax pentandra Sleumer
  37. Olax phyllanthi R.Br.
  38. Olax psittacorum (Lam.) Vahl
  39. Olax redmondii (Steyerm.) Christenh. & Byng
  40. Olax retusa F.Muell. ex Benth.
  41. Olax scalariformis A.S.George
  42. Olax scandens Roxb.
  43. Olax singularis (Vell.) Christenh. & Byng
  44. Olax spartea A.S.George
  45. Olax staudtii Engl.
  46. Olax stricta R.Br.
  47. Olax subscorpioidea Oliv.
  48. Olax tepuiensis (Steyerm.) Christenh. & Byng
  49. Olax thouarsii (DC.) Valeton
  50. Olax triplinervia Oliv.
  51. Olax wildemanii Engl.
  52. Olax zeylanica L.
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References

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  1. ^ "Olax L." Australian Plant Name Index, IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  2. ^ Linnaeus, C. (1753), Species Plantarum 1: 34.
  3. ^ a b c "Olax L. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Profile" Olax, Flora of Australia online". profiles.ala.org.au. Retrieved 2019-08-05.
  5. ^ Flowering Plants of the World by consultant editor Vernon H. Heywood, 1978, Oxford University Press, Walton Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, England, ISBN 019217674-9