**2.5.** *Olea guanchica*

Traditionally wild olive populations present in the Canary Islands are ascribed to the species *Olea europaea* subsp. *cerasiformis*. A recent genetic study concluded that populations of Madeira and the Canary Islands were genetically separate enough as to be separated into distinct subspecies, therefore the Canarian wild pass was renamed *Olea europaea* subsp. *guanchica*.

This subspecies is present throughout the islands forming part of transition forests or thermophiles. In Gran Canaria it is very abundant and it can be easily found around the north, forming clumps, but especially in the north-east. In the south of the island it is much more local and rare.

The *Olea europaea* subsp. *guanchica* is a small tree evergreen that can reach 6 m in height or more often it has a shrub appearance. Generally, the trunk is pluricaulous, grey or whitish. Leaves are bright green, oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 2 - 3 to 7 - 8 cm long and 0.4 – 0.6 to 1.1 - 2.1 cm wide. The apex is mucronate to cuspidate and the colour is greyish-brown above and paler beneath. Leaves have a petiole 0.2 - 0.5 cm long. The main vein partly protrudes on the abassial surface.

28 Olive Germplasm – The Olive Cultivation, Table Olive and Olive Oil Industry in Italy

**Figure 2.** Morphological aspect of *Olea europaea* subsp. *maroccana* fruits

**2.4.** *Olea cerasiformis*

abassial surface.

**2.5.** *Olea guanchica*

more local and rare.

2001).

*guanchica*.

11 mm long, obtuse at the apex, green then red - brown when unripe, becoming purplish black. Drupe pulp is carmine and aqueous, sweet or slightly bitter taste (Medail *et al.*, 2001).

The *Olea europaea* subsp. *cerasiformis* tree is arborescent or shrubby, and evergreen. The trunk is 1 - 2.5 m high, generally pluricaulous, and is grey or whitish in colour. Leaves are oblanceolate to linear in shape, rarely suborbicular; they are 3 - 4 to 8 - 10 cm long and 0.4 – 0.6 to 1.0 - 1.4 cm wide. The leaf apex is acuminate and the colour is greyish-green above and paler beneath. They have a petiole 0.2 - 0.7 cm long. The main vein protrudes on the

Flowers are 4 mm in diameter, white; bracteoles are generally present and well developed. Fruit are borne in panicles. The fruit is an ellipsoid drupe; it is 9 - 12 mm in diameter and 12 - 22 mm long. Drupes are green then purplish - black; pulp with a bitter taste (Medail *et al.*,

Traditionally wild olive populations present in the Canary Islands are ascribed to the species *Olea europaea* subsp. *cerasiformis*. A recent genetic study concluded that populations of Madeira and the Canary Islands were genetically separate enough as to be separated into distinct subspecies, therefore the Canarian wild pass was renamed *Olea europaea* subsp.

This subspecies is present throughout the islands forming part of transition forests or thermophiles. In Gran Canaria it is very abundant and it can be easily found around the north, forming clumps, but especially in the north-east. In the south of the island it is much Flowers are 4 - 5 mm in diameter, white; bracteoles not well individualized or missing. Fruit are borne in panicles. The fruit is an ovoid - globose drupe; it is 9 - 12 mm in diameter and 12 - 22 mm in length; their colour is green then purplish - black; pulp with a bitter taste (Medail *et al.*, 2001).

**Figure 3.** Morphological aspect of *Olea europaea* subsp. *guanchica* leaves and trunk
