pronounced: el-lee-oh-kar-PAY-see-eye
The name is derived from the Latin elæa which in turn comes from the Greek ελαια (elaia), the olive, and καρπος (karpos), fruit. This is a family of evergreen trees and shrubs, mostly from the tropics and subtropics, but with a few species extending to temperate zones. Many of the species have fruits resembling the olive. Some are harvested for their wood, and most are cultivated as ornamentals.