''Olax'' is a

plant Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclud ...

genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an

Old World The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by the ...

genus represented by several climbers, some species have leaves and fruits smelling of

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...

such as ''

Olax subscorpioidea ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

'' and ''

Olax gambecola ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

'', seeds of the latter are used as condiments in parts of

West Africa West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurit ...

. In

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

'' Olax nana'' is well known as one of the first species to emerge after forest fires, the shoots growing directly from buried roots.

Species

The type species is O. zeylanica. According to Plants of the world online the genus contains the following fifty-three species: # ''

Olax acuminata ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

Wall. Nathaniel Wolff Wallich FRS FRSE (28 January 1786 – 28 April 1854) was a surgeon and botanist of Danish origin who worked in India, initially in the Danish settlement near Calcutta and later for the Danish East India Company and the British ...

Benth. George Bentham (22 September 1800 – 10 September 1884) was an English botanist, described by the weed botanist Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century". Born into a distinguished family, he initially studie ...

# ''

Olax angulata ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

'' A.S.George # ''

Olax angustifolia ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

'' Compère # ''

Olax antsiranensis ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

'' Z.S.Rogers, Malécot & Sikes # ''

Olax aphylla ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

'' R.Br. # ''

Olax aschersoniana ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

'' Büttner # ''

Olax aurantia ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

'' A.S.George # '' Olax austrosinensis'' Y.R.Ling # ''

Olax benthamiana ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

'' Miq. # '' Olax candida'' ( Poepp.)

Christenh. Dr Maarten Joost Maria Christenhusz (born 27 April 1976) is a Dutch botanist, natural historian and photographer. Career He was born in Enschede, the Netherlands, received his undergraduate and master's degrees from Utrecht University in ...

& Byng # '' Olax capuronii'' Z.S.Rogers, Malécot & Sikes # '' Olax crassa'' ( Monach.)

& Byng # ''

Olax cyanocarpa ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

'' (

Sleumer Hermann Otto Sleumer (February 21, 1906 in Saarbrücken – October 1, 1993 in Oegstgeest) was a Dutch botanist of German birth. The plant genera ''Sleumerodendron'' Virot ( Proteaceae) and ''Sleumeria'' Utteridge, Nagam. & Teo (Icacinaceae T ...

)

& Byng # ''

Olax dissitiflora ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, so ...

Oliv. Daniel Oliver, FRS (6 February 1830, Newcastle upon Tyne – 21 December 1916) was an English botanist. He was Librarian of the Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew from 1860–1890 and Keeper there from 1864–1890, and Professor of Botany at ...

# '' Olax egleri'' (

Bastos Bastos is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 mi ...

)

& Byng # ''

Olax emirnensis ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, so ...

Baker A baker is a tradesperson who bakes and sometimes sells breads and other products made of flour by using an oven or other concentrated heat source. The place where a baker works is called a bakery. History Ancient history Since grains ha ...

# ''

Baill. Henri Ernest Baillon was a French botanist and physician. He was born in Calais on 30 November 1827 and died in Paris on 19 July 1895. Baillon spent his professional life as a professor of natural history, and he published numerous works on ...

# '' Olax gardneriana''

# '' Olax gossweileri''

Exell Exell is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Arthur Wallis Exell Arthur Wallis Exell OBE (21 May 1901, in Birmingham – 15 January 1993, in Cheltenham) was initially an assistant and later Deputy Keeper of Botany at the Br ...

Mendonça Mendonça () is a Portuguese and Galician surname of Basque origin. It sometimes appears as the anglicized forms ''Mendonca'' or ''Mendonsa''. The Spanish variant is Mendoza. The name has been often linked with royalty. The name may refer to: ...

# '' Olax guianensis'' (

Engl. Engl or Engl. may refer to: *England, a country that is part of the United Kingdom *English *Engl (surname), a German surname *Engl., taxonomic abbreviation for botanist Adolf Engler Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler (25 March 1844 – 10 October 193 ...

)

& Byng # '' Olax hypoleuca''

# ''

Olax imbricata ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

'' Roxb. # '' Olax inopiflora'' ( Miers)

& Byng # ''

Olax lanceolata ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

Cavaco The cavaquinho (pronounced in Portuguese) is a small Portuguese string instrument in the European guitar family, with four wires or gut strings. More broadly, ''cavaquinho'' is the name of a four-stringed subdivision of the lute family of instr ...

& Keraudren # '' Olax latifolia''

# '' Olax laxiflora''

Ridl. Henry Nicholas Ridley CMG (1911), MA (Oxon), FRS, FLS, F.R.H.S. (10 December 1855 – 24 October 1956) was an English botanist, geologist and naturalist who lived much of his life in Singapore. He was instrumental in promoting rubber trees ...

# '' Olax macrophylla''

# '' Olax madagascariensis'' (

DC. Augustin Pyramus (or Pyrame) de Candolle (, , ; 4 February 17789 September 1841) was a Swiss botanist. René Louiche Desfontaines launched de Candolle's botanical career by recommending him at a herbarium. Within a couple of years de Candolle ...

)

# '' Olax mannii''

# '' Olax mayottensis'' Z.S.Rogers, Malécot & Sikes # '' Olax nana''

# '' Olax obcordata'' A.S.George # ''

Olax obtusa ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, so ...

'' Blume # ''

Olax obtusifolia ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

'' De Wild. # ''

Olax papillosa ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, so ...

'' (

)

& Byng # '' Olax pauciflora''

# '' Olax pendula''

L.S.Sm. Lindsay Stuart Smith (27 November 1917 – 12 September 1970) was an Australian botanist, naturalist and public servant. Early years Lindsay Smith was born in Bundaberg in Queensland and attended Bundaberg South State School and later Bundaber ...

# '' Olax pentandra''

# ''

Olax phyllanthi ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, so ...

'' R.Br. # '' Olax psittacorum'' ( Lam.) Vahl # '' Olax redmondii'' ( Steyerm.)

& Byng # ''

Olax retusa ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, so ...

F.Muell. Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, (german: Müller; 30 June 1825 – 10 October 1896) was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist. He was appointed government botanist for the then colony of Victo ...

# ''

Olax scalariformis ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, so ...

'' A.S.George # '' Olax scandens'' Roxb. # ''

Olax singularis ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, som ...

'' ( Vell.)

& Byng # ''

Olax spartea ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, so ...

'' A.S.George # ''

Olax staudtii ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, so ...

# '' Olax stricta'' R.Br. # ''

# ''

Olax tepuiensis ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, so ...

'' ( Steyerm.)

& Byng # ''

Olax triplinervia ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant scent of some of the ''Olax'' species. ''Olax'' is an Old World genus represented by several climbers, so ...

# '' Olax wildemanii''

# ''

Olax zeylanica ''Olax zeylanica'' is a plant species in the family Olacaceae and the type species of the genus ''Olax ''Olax'' is a plant genus in the family Olacaceae. The name derives from the Latin, ''olax'' (malodorous), and refers to the unpleasant ...

'' L.

Gallery

Olax phyllanthi Mt Adelaide Albany.jpg, ''Olax phyllanthi'' Olax imbricata Roxb. (8503288374).jpg, ''Olax imbricata'', flowers Olax imbricata Roxb. (8729382306).jpg, ''Olax imbricata'', fruit Olax scandens seeds, by Omar Hoftun.jpg, ''Olax scandens'', seeds Olax imbricata Roxb. (12909987654).jpg, ''Olax imbricata'', bark

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2234904 Olacaceae Santalales genera Taxonomy articles created by Polbot