olearia
(əʊliːˈɛərɪə)
[mod.L. (C. Moench Suppl. Methodus Plantas Horti Botanici et Agri Marburgensis (1802) 254), f. the name of Johann Gottfried Olearius (1635–1711), German theologian and horticulturist.]
An evergreen shrub or tree of the Australasian genus so called, belonging to the family Compositæ and bearing clusters of white, yellow, or mauve flowers; = daisy-tree (daisy n. 7).
| 1839 G. Don Sweet's Hortus Britannicus (ed. 3) 344 (heading) Olearia DC. [English name] Olearia. 1852 Curtis's Bot. Mag. LXXVIII. 4638 Mr. Gunn's Olearia..ia another interesting plant of Van Diemen's Land, which braves the cold of England. 1868 Trans. N.Z. Inst. I. iii. 4 Along the shore there is a profusion of shrub Veronicas and Olearias. 1882 T. H. Potts Out in Open 64 Soon to be lost beneath a covering screen of veronicas, olearias, gnarled and knotted griselinias. 1918 Chambers's Jrnl. Apr. 221/1 The trees, especially the rata and the olearia, grow for nearly half their length along the ground. 1959 Listener 22 Jan. 174/1 He sometimes tears at the bark of the ceanolthus and olearias. 1971 Homes & Gardens Sept. 127/2 Many olearias have grey under-sides to the foliage. |