Olea Capensis

The Black Ironwood (Olea capensis), is an African tree species belonging to the olive family (Oleaceae). It is widespread in Africa, being found almost throughout Africa south of the Sahara from the east in Somalia, Ethiopia and Sudan, south to the tip of South Africa, and west to Cameroon, Sierra Leone and the Islands of the Gulf of Guinea. It occurs in bush, littoral scrub and evergreen forest.

Olea capensis is known by a variety of common names including:

• Afrikaans: ysterhout
• English: black ironwood, East African olive, Elgon olive, ironwood, ironwood olive
• Swahili: loliondo, mushargi
• Trade names: loliondo, mutharage, mutharagi, olive