Olinia is a genus of small trees and shrubs belonging to the family Penaeaceae, within the order Myrtales. The genus comprises 10 accepted species and was historically treated as the sole member of the family Oliniaceae, a placement that was long maintained due to its morphological distinctiveness. Under the APG III system of angiosperm classification, Olinia was moved into the expanded Penaeaceae alongside Rhynchocalyx, formerly of the Rhynchocalycaceae.
All species of Olinia are native to Africa, with the genus distributed across a broad latitudinal range stretching from west Africa southward through eastern and central Africa to South Africa. The plants typically grow as small trees or shrubs and are associated with montane and afromontane forest environments across sub-Saharan Africa.
Notable species include Olinia rochetiana, found in eastern and northeastern Africa; Olinia ventosa, known from South Africa; Olinia emarginata, occurring in southern Africa; and Olinia usambarensis, native to the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania.
Distribution
Olinia is native to Africa, with species distributed from west Africa through eastern and central Africa to South Africa. The genus encompasses montane habitats across this broad range, including species from the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania, the Ethiopian highlands, Rwanda, Angola, and the southern Cape.
Taxonomy Notes
Olinia was long treated as the sole genus in the monotypic family Oliniaceae. Under the APG III classification system, the genus was transferred into the expanded family Penaeaceae in the order Myrtales, alongside Rhynchocalyx (previously placed in Rhynchocalycaceae). GBIF continues to record the family placement as Oliniaceae, reflecting the lag in database updates relative to APG III.
