The genus Olea, part of the Oleaceae family, is renowned for its cultural and economic importance. Primarily recognized for the iconic olive tree, Olea europaea, members of this genus are evergreen trees and shrubs native to the Mediterranean region and beyond. They are celebrated not only for their nutritious fruit and high-quality oil but also for their historical significance in art, agriculture, and trade over millennia.

Olea woodiana ssp. woodiana, commonly known as Black Ironwood or Forest Olive in English and Bosolienhout, Bosolyfboom, Olyfboom or Olyfhout in Afrikaans, is a South African indigenous evergreen tree found in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. The tree grows in lower-elevation hill forests from Kenya, Tanzania, Eswatini, and South Africa. Olea woodiana ssp. woodiana is a medium-sized to tall tree. The axillary or terminal inflorescences carry small white flowers that are fragrant. The fruits are produced from late summer. They are oval-shaped and ripen to a purple black colour, when they are consumed by birds.