A family of 30 genera and 600 species, cosmopolitan, best developed in Asia and Malesia; about six genera occur naturally in Australia.

Chionanthus - A genus of about 120 species in Africa, Madagascar, Asia, Malesia, Australia and eastern North America; three species occur naturally in Australia. Johnson (1957); Kiew (1979a).

Jasminum - A genus of about 450(?) species in tropical Africa, Asia, Malesia, Australia and the Pacific islands; nine species occur naturally in Australia. Green (1984). Since 1984 a further three undescribed species have been recognized. Henderson (1997).

Ligustrum - A genus of about 40-50 species in Europe, Asia, Malesia and Australia; one species occurs naturally in Australia and two species have become naturalised. Johnson (1957).

Notelaea - A genus of nine species endemic to Australia. Green (1968); Johnson (1957).

Olea - A genus of about 20-40 species in Europe, Africa, Asia, Malesia, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands; one species occurs naturally in Australia and another species has become naturalised. Johnson (1957); Kiew (1979b).

Green, P.S. (1968). Revision of the genus Notelaea (Oleaceae). Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 49:333-369.

Green, P.S. (1984). A revision of Jasminum in Australia. Allertonia 3:403-438.

Johnson, L.A.S. (1957). A review of the family Oleaceae. Contributions from the New South Wales National Herbarium 2:395-418.

Kiew, R. (1979a). The genus Chionanthus L. (Oleaceae) in Malesia. I. The Malayan species. The Malaysian Forester 42:259-279.

Kiew, R. (1979b). Florae Malesianae Praecursores LX. The Oleaceae of Malesia. II. The genus Olea. Blumea 25:305-313.

White, C.T. (1939). Contributions to the Queensland Flora, No. 6. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 50:66-87.