What is "oleaster"

Oleaster \O`le*as"ter\, n. [L., fr. olea olive tree. See Olive, Oil.] (Bot.)

1. The wild olive tree ( Olea Europea, var. sylvestris).

2. Any species of the genus El[ae]agus. See Eleagnus. The small silvery berries of the common species ( El[ae]agnus hortensis) are called Trebizond dates, and are made into cakes by the Arabs.

n. 1 A plant in the family Elaeagnaceae, 2 # especially, a plant in the genus ''Elaeagnus'', 3 ## especially, a plant in the species (taxlink Elaeagnus angustifolia species noshow=1). 4 Cultivated olive trees that have re-naturalized, sometimes treated as a species (taxlink Olea oleaster species noshow=1), the wild olive.

n. any of several shrubs of the genus Elaeagnus having silver-white twigs and yellow flowers followed by olivelike fruits

Oleaster, signifying a plant like an olive, but less valuable (cf. poetaster), may be applied to:

• Feral olive trees that have been allowed to run wild
• Olea oleaster, the wild olive
• Various species of Elaeagnus, notably Elaeagnus angustifolia, the Russian olive.