Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Olea capensis in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 8.
today: The current name for this species is Olea capensis L.
original Latin diagnosis
Olea foliis ovatis.
English translation
Olea with leaf blades ovate.
| Olea | Olea |
| with leaf blades | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| ovate. | ovatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective ovatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |