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''Diospyros'' is a
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of over 700
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...
and
evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...
tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...
s and
shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
s. The majority are native to the
tropics The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...
, with only a few species extending into
temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...
regions. Individual species valued for their hard, heavy, dark timber, are commonly known as
ebony Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus ''Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when pol ...
trees, while others are valued for their fruit and known as
persimmon The persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus ''Diospyros''. The most widely cultivated of these is the Oriental persimmon, ''Diospyros kaki'' ''Diospyros'' is in the family Ebenaceae, and a number of non-pers ...
trees. Some are useful as ornamentals and many are of local ecological importance. Species of this genus are generally
dioecious Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproductio ...
, with separate male and female plants.


Taxonomy and etymology

The generic name ''Diospyros'' comes from a
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
name for the
Caucasian persimmon ''Diospyros lotus'', with common names date-plum, Caucasian persimmon, or lilac persimmon, is a widely cultivated species of the genus ''Diospyros'', native to subtropical southwest Asia and southeast Europe. Its English name derives from the sma ...
('' D. lotus''), derived from the
Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
διόσπυρος : dióspyros, from ''diós'' () and ''pyrós'' (). The Greek name literally means "
Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label=Genitive case, genitive Aeolic Greek, Boeotian Aeolic and Doric Greek#Laconian, Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label=Genitive case, genitive el, Δίας, ''D ...
's
wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...
" but more generally intends "divine food" or "divine fruit". Muddled translations sometimes give rise to curious and inappropriate interpretations such as "
God In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
's pear" and "
Jove Jupiter ( la, Iūpiter or , from Proto-Italic "day, sky" + "father", thus " sky father" Greek: Δίας or Ζεύς), also known as Jove ( gen. ''Iovis'' ), is the god of the sky and thunder, and king of the gods in ancient Roman religio ...
's fire". The genus is a large one and the number of species has been estimated variously, depending on the date of the source. The
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. An internationally important botanical research and education institution, it employs 1,100 ...
, list has over 1000 entries, including synonyms and items of low confidence. Over 700 species are marked as being assigned with high confidence. The oldest fossils of the genus date to the
Eocene The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene' ...
, which indicate by that time ''Diospyros'' was widely distributed over the Northern Hemisphere.


Chemotaxonomy

The leaves of ''
Diospyros blancoi ''Diospyros blancoi'', ( synonym ''Diospyros discolor''), commonly known as velvet apple, velvet persimmon, kamagong, or mabolo tree, is a tree of the genus ''Diospyros'' of ebony trees and persimmons. It produces edible fruit with a fine, velve ...
'' have been shown to contain
isoarborinol methyl ether Isoarborinol is a triterpenoid ubiquitously produced by angiosperms and is thus considered a biomarker for higher plants. Though no isoarborinol-producing microbe has been identified, isoarborinol is also considered a possible biomarker for marin ...
(also called cylindrin) and fatty
esters In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an oxoacid (organic or inorganic) in which at least one hydroxyl group () is replaced by an alkoxy group (), as in the substitution reaction of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. Glycerides are ...
of α- and β-
amyrin The amyrins are three closely related natural chemical compounds of the triterpene class. They are designated α-amyrin (ursane skeleton), β-amyrin (oleanane skeleton) and δ-amyrin. Each is a pentacyclic triterpenol with the chemical formula C ...
. Both isoarborinol methyl ether and the amyrin mixture demonstrated antimicrobial activity against ''
Escherichia coli ''Escherichia coli'' (),Wells, J. C. (2000) Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. Harlow ngland Pearson Education Ltd. also known as ''E. coli'' (), is a Gram-negative, facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped, coliform bacterium of the genus ''Escher ...
'', ''
Pseudomonas aeruginosa ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'' is a common encapsulated, gram-negative, aerobic–facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium that can cause disease in plants and animals, including humans. A species of considerable medical importance, ''P. aerugi ...
'', ''
Candida albicans ''Candida albicans'' is an opportunistic pathogenic yeast that is a common member of the human gut flora. It can also survive outside the human body. It is detected in the gastrointestinal tract and mouth in 40–60% of healthy adults. It is us ...
'', ''
Staphylococcus aureus ''Staphylococcus aureus'' is a Gram-positive spherically shaped bacterium, a member of the Bacillota, and is a usual member of the microbiota of the body, frequently found in the upper respiratory tract and on the skin. It is often positive ...
'', and ''
Trichophyton interdigitale ''Trichophyton interdigitale'' is a clonal line within sexual species '' T. mentagrophytes''. It causes onychomycosis and tinea pedis in humans, and has never been isolated from animals. ''Trichophyton interdigitale'' isolates cannot be reliably ...
''. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties have also been shown for the isolated amyrin mixture.


Ecology

''Diospyros'' species are important and conspicuous trees in many of their native
ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...
s, such as lowland
dry forests The tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest is a habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature and is located at tropical and subtropical latitudes. Though these forests occur in climates that are warm year-round, and may receive ...
of the former
Maui Nui Maui Nui or Greater Maui, is a modern geologists' name given to a prehistoric Hawaiian Island built from seven shield volcanoes. ''Nui'' means "great/large" in the Hawaiian language. 1.2 million years ago, Maui Nui was , 40% larger than the pre ...
in
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
,
Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests The Hyrcanian forests ( fa, جنگل های هیرکانی) are a zone of lush lowland and montane forests covering about adjoining the shores of the Caspian Sea of Iran and part of that of Azerbaijan. The forest is named after the ancient reg ...
,
Khathiar–Gir dry deciduous forests The Khathiar–Gir dry deciduous forests (also Kathiarbar-Gir or Kathiawar-Gir) is a mostly arid ecoregion in northwestern India that stretches over across Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The dry deciduous forests in the region are domi ...
,
Louisiade Archipelago rain forests The Louisiade Archipelago is a string of ten larger volcanic islands frequently fringed by coral reefs, and 90 smaller coral islands in Papua New Guinea. It is located 200 km southeast of New Guinea, stretching over more than and spread ...
,
Madagascar lowland forests The Madagascar lowland forests or Madagascar humid forests are a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion found on the eastern coast of the island of Madagascar, home to a plant and animal mix th ...
,
Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests The Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests are a tropical dry forest ecoregion of central India. The ecoregion lies mostly in Madhya Pradesh state, but extends into portions of Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh states. Se ...
,
New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...
n sclerophytic vegetation,
New Guinea mangroves The New Guinea mangroves is a mangrove ecoregion that covers extensive areas of the coastline New Guinea, the large island in the western Pacific Ocean north of Australia. Location and description The New Guinea mangroves cover an area of , ...
or
South Western Ghats montane rain forests The South Western Ghats montane rain forests is an ecoregion in South India, covering the southern portion of the Western Ghats in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu at elevations from . Annual rainfall in this ecoregion exceeds . Setting The e ...
. The green fruits are rich in
tannin Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids. The term ''tannin'' (from Anglo-Norman ''tanner'', ...
s and thus avoided by most herbivores; when ripe they are eagerly eaten by many animals however, such as the rare
Aders' duiker The Aders's duiker (''Cephalophus adersi''), also known as ''nunga'' in Swahili, ''kunga marara'' in Kipokomo and ''harake'' in Giriama, is a small, forest-dwelling duiker found only in Zanzibar and Kenya. It may be a subspecies of the red, H ...
(''Cephalophus adersi''). The
foliage A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...
is used as food by the
larvae A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...
of numerous
Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...
species:
Arctiidae The Arctiinae (formerly called the family Arctiidae) are a large and diverse subfamily of moths with around 11,000 species found all over the world, including 6,000 neotropical species.Scoble, MJ. (1995). ''The Lepidoptera: Form, Function and D ...
: * ''
Eupseudosoma aberrans ''Eupseudosoma aberrans'' is a moth of the family Erebidae first described by William Schaus in 1905. It is found in Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North Amer ...
'' * ''
Eupseudosoma involutum ''Eupseudosoma involutum'', the snowy eupseudosoma, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Sepp in 1855. It is found from the southern United States (Florida) to Argentina, as well as on the Antilles. The wingspan ...
'' (snowy eupseudosoma) * ''
Hypercompe indecisa ''Hypercompe indecisa'' is a moth of the family Erebidae first described by Francis Walker in 1855. It is found in Argentina and Uruguay. Larvae have been recorded feeding on ''Beta'', ''Brassica'', ''Citrus'', ''Cucurbita'', ''Datura'', ''Dio ...
''
Geometridae The geometer moths are moths belonging to the family Geometridae of the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies. Their scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek ''geo'' γεω (derivative form of or "the earth"), and ''met ...
: * ''
Gymnoscelis rufifasciata The double-striped pug (''Gymnoscelis rufifasciata'') is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is a widespread and common species, being found throughout the Palearctic region, including the Near East and North Africa. This is a variable species ...
'' (double-striped pug) – recorded on
persimmon The persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus ''Diospyros''. The most widely cultivated of these is the Oriental persimmon, ''Diospyros kaki'' ''Diospyros'' is in the family Ebenaceae, and a number of non-pers ...
s
Limacodidae The Limacodidae or Eucleidae are a family of moths in the superfamily Zygaenoidea or the Cossoidea;Scoble, M.J. (1992). ''The Lepidoptera: Form, Function and Diversity.'' Oxford University Press. the placement is in dispute. They are often ca ...
: * ''
Monema flavescens ''Monema flavescens'' is a moth of the family Limacodidae. It is found in Japan, Korea, the Russian Far East (Amur Oblast, Amur, Ussuri, Askold Island, Askold), China (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Beijing, Hebei, Shandong, Henan ...
''
Lycaenidae Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies (behind Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies), with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterfl ...
: * ''
Neopithecops zalmora ''Neopithecops zalmora'', the Quaker, is a small butterfly found in South Asia and Southeast Asia that belongs to the Lycaenidae, lycaenids or blues family. Subspecies The subspecies of ''Neopithecops zalmora'' are- * ''Neopithecops zalmora za ...
'' (Quaker)
Nymphalidae The Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies, with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. Belonging to the superfamily Papilionoidea, they are usually medium-sized to large butterflies. Most species have a red ...
: * ''
Charaxes khasianus The rajah and pasha butterflies, also known as emperors in Africa and Australia, (genus ''Charaxes'') make up the huge type genus of the brush-footed butterfly subfamily Charaxinae, or leafwing butterflies. They belong to the tribe Charaxini, w ...
'' ( Kihansi charaxes) – recorded on '' D. natalensis'' * ''
Dophla evelina ''Dophla evelina'', the red-spot duke, is a species of brush-footed butterfly found in Cambodia and South and Southeast Asia (Sri Lanka, Yunnan and India to the Philippines and Sulawesi). Many subspecies are accepted. The species was first desc ...
'' (redspot duke) – recorded on '' D. candolleana''
Saturniidae Saturniidae, commonly known as saturniids, is a family of Lepidoptera with an estimated 2,300 described species. The family contains some of the largest species of moths in the world. Notable members include the emperor moths, royal moths, and gi ...
: * ''
Actias luna The Luna moth (''Actias luna'') also known as the American moon moth is a Nearctic moth in the family Saturniidae, subfamily Saturniinae, a group commonly known as giant silk moths. It has lime-green colored wings and a white body. The larvae ( ...
'' (Luna moth) – recorded on persimmons * ''
Callosamia promethea ''Callosamia promethea'', commonly known as the promethea silkmoth, is a member of the family Saturniidae, which contains approximately 1,300 species. It is also known as the spicebush silkmoth, which refers to is one of the promethea silkmoth's ...
'' (promethea silkmoth) – recorded on persimmons * ''
Citheronia regalis ''Citheronia regalis'', the regal moth or royal walnut moth, is a North American moth in the family Saturniidae. The caterpillars are called hickory horned devils. The adult (imago) has a wingspan of . The species was first described by Johan Chri ...
'' (regal moth) – recorded on
American persimmon ''Diospyros virginiana'' is a persimmon species commonly called the American persimmon, common persimmon, eastern persimmon, simmon, possumwood, possum apples, or sugar plum. It ranges from southern Connecticut to Florida, and west to Texas, ...
(''D. virginiana'')
Tortricidae The Tortricidae are a family of moths, commonly known as tortrix moths or leafroller moths, in the order Lepidoptera. This large family has over 11,000 species described, and is the sole member of the superfamily Tortricoidea, although the genu ...
: * '' "Cnephasia" jactatana'' (black-lyre leafroller moth) An economically significant
plant pathogen Plant pathology (also phytopathology) is the scientific study of diseases in plants caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Organisms that cause infectious disease include fungi, oomyc ...
infecting many ''Diospyros'' species – '' D. hispida'',
kaki persimmon ''Diospyros kaki'', the Oriental persimmon, Chinese persimmon, Japanese persimmon or kaki persimmon, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Diospyros''. Although its first botanical description was not published until 1780,Publishe ...
(''D. kaki''),
date-plum ''Diospyros lotus'', with common names date-plum, Caucasian persimmon, or lilac persimmon, is a widely cultivated species of the genus ''Diospyros'', native to subtropical southwest Asia and southeast Europe. Its English name derives from the sma ...
(''D. lotus''),
Texas persimmon ''Diospyros texana'' is a species of persimmon that is native to central, south and west Texas and southwest Oklahoma in the United States, and eastern Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico. Common names include ...
(''D. texana''),
Coromandel ebony ''Diospyros melanoxylon'', the Coromandel ebony or East Indian ebony, is a species of flowering tree in the family Ebenaceae native to India and Sri Lanka; it has a hard, dry bark. Its common name derives from Coromandel, the coast of southeast ...
(''D. melanoxylon'') and probably others – is the
sac fungus Ascomycota is a phylum of the kingdom Fungi that, together with the Basidiomycota, forms the subkingdom Dikarya. Its members are commonly known as the sac fungi or ascomycetes. It is the largest phylum of Fungi, with over 64,000 species. The de ...
''
Pseudocercospora kaki ''Pseudocercospora kaki'' is a fungal plant pathogen, who causes leaf spot of persimmon. Some examples of host species are ''Diospyros hispida'', ''Diospyros kaki'', ''Diospyros lotus'', ''Diospyros texana ''Diospyros texana'' is a species of ...
'', which causes a
leaf spot A leaf spot is a limited, discoloured, diseased area of a leaf that is caused by fungal, bacterial or viral plant diseases, or by injuries from nematodes, insects, environmental factors, toxicity or herbicides. These discoloured spots or lesions ...
disease.


Use by humans

The genus includes several plants of commercial importance, either for their edible
fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...
(
persimmon The persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus ''Diospyros''. The most widely cultivated of these is the Oriental persimmon, ''Diospyros kaki'' ''Diospyros'' is in the family Ebenaceae, and a number of non-pers ...
s) or for their timber (
ebony Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus ''Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when pol ...
). The latter are divided into two groups in trade: the pure black ebony (notably from '' D. ebenum'', but also several other species), and the striped ebony or
calamander wood frameless, upright=1.2 upright=0.9, Bookmatched veneer Calamander or coromandel is a valuable hardwood obtained from the species '' Diospyros quaesita'', native to India and Sri Lanka. It is also known as or variegated ebony and is closely relat ...
(from '' D. celebica'', '' D. mun'' and others). Most species in the genus produce little to none of this black ebony-type wood; their hard
timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
(e.g. of
American persimmon ''Diospyros virginiana'' is a persimmon species commonly called the American persimmon, common persimmon, eastern persimmon, simmon, possumwood, possum apples, or sugar plum. It ranges from southern Connecticut to Florida, and west to Texas, ...
, ''D. virginiana'') may still be used on a more limited basis. Leaves of the
Coromandel ebony ''Diospyros melanoxylon'', the Coromandel ebony or East Indian ebony, is a species of flowering tree in the family Ebenaceae native to India and Sri Lanka; it has a hard, dry bark. Its common name derives from Coromandel, the coast of southeast ...
(''D. melanoxylon'') are used to roll
South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
n
beedi A beedi (also spelled bidi or biri) is a thin cigarette or mini-cigar filled with tobacco flake and commonly wrapped in a tendu (''Diospyros melanoxylon'') or ''Piliostigma racemosum'' leaf tied with a string or adhesive at one end. It orig ...
cigarette A cigarette is a narrow cylinder containing a combustible material, typically tobacco, that is rolled into thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end, causing it to smolder; the resulting smoke is orally inhaled via the opp ...
s. Several species are used in
herbalism Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern reme ...
, and '' D. leucomelas'' yields the versatile medical compound
betulinic acid Betulinic acid is a naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenoid which has antiretroviral, antimalarial, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as a more recently discovered potential as an anticancer agent, by inhibition of topoisomerase. I ...
. Extracts from ''Diospyros'' plants have also been proposed as novel anti-viral treatment. Though
bee Bees are winged insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their roles in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the western honey bee, for producing honey. Bees are a monophyly, monophyletic lineage within the ...
s do not play a key role as
pollinator A pollinator is an animal that moves pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma of a flower. This helps to bring about fertilization of the ovules in the flower by the male gametes from the pollen grains. Insects are the maj ...
s, in
plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...
s ''Diospyros'' may be of some use as
honey plant Honeybees usually collect nectar, pollen, or both from the following species of plants, which are called honey plants, for making honey. Acanthaceae (Acanthus family) *'' Avicennia nitida'' Jacq. or Avicennia ger ...
s. '' D. mollis'', locally known as '' mặc nưa'', is used in
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
to dye the famous black '' lãnh Mỹ A''
silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the coc ...
of Tân Châu district. The reverence of these trees in their native range is reflected by their use as
floral emblem In a number of countries, plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas. Some countries have a country-wide floral emblem; others in addition have symbols representing subdivisions. Different processes have been used to ...
s. In
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
, '' D. celebica'' (Makassar ebony, known locally as ''eboni'') is the provincial tree of
Central Sulawesi Central Sulawesi (Indonesian: ''Sulawesi Tengah'') is a province of Indonesia located at the centre of the island of Sulawesi. The administrative capital and largest city is located in Palu. The 2010 census recorded a population of 2,635,009 for ...
, while ajan kelicung (''D. macrophylla'') is that of
West Nusa Tenggara West Nusa Tenggara ( id, Nusa Tenggara Barat – NTB) is a province of Indonesia. It comprises the western portion of the Lesser Sunda Islands, with the exception of Bali which is its own province. Mataram, on Lombok, is the capital and largest ...
. The emblem of the
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
ese island of Ishigaki is the '' Yaeyama kokutan'' (''D. ferrea''). The
Gold apple ''Diospyros decandra'', is a tropical tree in the ebony and persimmon family. Its flowers are white. It is a popular tree in Vietnam where it is grown in urban areas and close to temples. It is called "cây thị" in Vietnamese and it has appea ...
(''D. decandra''), called "Trái thị" in Vietnamese, is a tree in the Tấm Cám fable. It is also the provincial tree of
Chanthaburi Chanthaburi ( th, จันทบุรี, ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in the east of Thailand, on the banks of the Chanthaburi River. It is the capital of the Chanthaburi Province and the Mueang Chanthaburi District. The town covers t ...
as well as Nakhon Pathom Provinces in Thailand, while the
black-and-white ebony ''Diospyros malabarica'', the gaub tree, Malabar ebony, black-and-white ebony or pale moon ebony, is a species of flowering tree in the family Ebenaceae that is native to the Indian Subcontinent and South East Asia. It is a long-lived, very slow ...
(''D. malabarica'') is that of Ang Thong Province. The name of the Thai district
Amphoe Tha Tako Tha Tako (, ) is a district (''amphoe'') in the eastern part of Nakhon Sawan province, central Thailand. History The district was established at Ban Khao Noi, ''Tambon'' Tha Tako, in 1900. At first there was confusion whether the name was Khao ...
, literally means "District of the ''Diospyros''
pier image:Brighton Pier, Brighton, East Sussex, England-2Oct2011 (1).jpg, Seaside pleasure pier in Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th century. A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of ...
", the latter being a popular local gathering spot.


Selected species

* ''
Diospyros abyssinica ''Diospyros abyssinica'' (also known as ''giant diospyros'', or ''Kôforonto'' and ''Baforonto'' in local languages spoken in parts of Mali, ''blidzo'', ''blitcho'', ''gblit∫o'', ''blonyat∫o'' or ''gblεt∫o'' in some Ghanaian languages) is ...
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Diospyros acuminata ''Diospyros acuminata'' is a tree in the Ebony family which is endemic to Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), former ...
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Diospyros alatella ''Diospyros alatella'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The fruits are solitary, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "with small wing", referring to the fruit. Habitat is forests from sea l ...
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Diospyros andamanica ''Diospyros andamanica'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs are rusty brown or blackish. Inflorescences bear up to 30 or more flowers. The fruits are roundish to ellipsoid, up to in diameter. The tree is named after t ...
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Diospyros apiculata ''Diospyros apiculata'' is a tropical tree species was described by Hiern and included in the genus ''Diospyros'' and family Ebenaceae; no subspecies are listed in the Catalogue of Life. Its Vietnamese Vietnamese may refer to: * Something of, ...
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Diospyros areolata ''Diospyros areolata'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs are reddish brown when young. Inflorescences usually bear three flowers. The fruits are round, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin mean ...
'' * ''
Diospyros artanthifolia ''Diospyros artanthifolia'' is a species of tree in the family Ebenaceae. It is native to Panama and tropical South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a r ...
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Diospyros atrata ''Diospyros atrata'' is a tree in the Ebony family. It commonly grows to 25 metres tall. The plant can be seen in subcanopy trees in medium elevation wet evergreen forests between 1000 and 1400 m in Western Ghats- South Sahyadri, Kera ...
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Diospyros attenuata ''Diospyros attenuata'' is a species of tree in the ebony family, Ebenaceae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka. This tree has been found to occur in only three forest reserves during the extensive National Conservation Review forest surveys. References ...
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Diospyros australis ''Diospyros australis '' is the most southerly of the group of some 450 ebonies and persimmons. It is a shrub or small tree growing in rainforests of seaward eastern Australia. The habitat is in a variety of different rainforest forms, though ...
'' – yellow persimmon, black plum, "grey plum" * ''
Diospyros beccarioides ''Diospyros beccarioides'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs are reddish brown when young. Inflorescences bear three or more flowers. The fruits are roundish, up to in diameter. The tree is named for its resemblance ...
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Diospyros borneensis ''Diospyros borneensis'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs are reddish brown when young, drying black. Inflorescences bear up to 20 flowers. The fruits are round, drying black, up to in diameter. The tree is named fo ...
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Diospyros britannoborneensis ''Diospyros britannoborneensis'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The twigs dry greyish or blackish. The fruits are ovoid to round, up to in diameter. The tree is named for the part of northern Borneo formerly known as Br ...
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Diospyros buxifolia ''Diospyros buxifolia'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to five flowers. The fruits are ellipsoid, up to long. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin, referring to the leaves' resemblance to thos ...
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Diospyros cambodiana ''Diospyros cambodiana'' is a tree in the Ebenaceae family, endemic to the Mekong basin, Cambodia. It grows some 15-20m tall in flooded/swamp forest. One of its vernacular names (ach kânndaô'') derives from the perceived likeness of its flowers ...
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Diospyros candolleana ''Diospyros candolleana'', is a tree in the Ebony family, endemic to the Western Ghats of India and Sri Lanka. The trees are usually 20m tall, and found as subcanopy trees in wet evergreen forests up to 90m. Description The bark of ''D. can ...
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Diospyros celebica ''Diospyros celebica'' (commonly known as black ebony or Makassar ebony) is a species of flowering tree in the family Ebenaceae that is endemic to the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. The common name Makassar ebony is for the main seaport on th ...
'' – Makassar ebony * '' Diospyros chaetocarpa'' * ''
Diospyros chamaethamnus ''Diospyros chamaethamnus'', called sand apple in English, is a plant which can be found in Namibia. It is a relative of persimmons and ebony and like these provides useful wood and edible fruit. It may also have medical properties and some othe ...
'' – sand apple * ''
Diospyros chloroxylon ''Diospyros'' is a genus of over 700 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The majority are native to the tropics, with only a few species extending into temperate regions. Individual species valued for their hard, heavy, dark tim ...
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Diospyros clementium ''Diospyros clementium'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The fruits are ellipsoid, up to in diameter. The tree is named for American husband-and-wife plant collectors Joseph Clemens and Mary Strong Clemens. Habitat is mi ...
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Diospyros confertiflora ''Diospyros confertiflora'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The twigs dry to black. Inflorescences bear up to 12 flowers. The fruits are ovoid, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "crowded ...
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Diospyros cordata ''Diospyros cordata'' is a small tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "heart-shaped", referring to the leaf base. ''D. cordata'' is endemic to Borneo and known only from Sarawak ...
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Diospyros coriacea ''Diospyros coriacea'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The twigs dry blackish. Inflorescences bear up to seven flowers. The fruits are roundish, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "leathe ...
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Diospyros crassiflora ''Diospyros crassiflora'', commonly known as Gabon ebony, African ebony, West African ebony, and Benin ebony is a species of lowland-rainforest tree in the family Ebenaceae that is endemic to Western Africa. It is named after the West African st ...
'' – Gaboon ebony, Gabon ebony, African ebony, West African ebony, Benin ebony * ''
Diospyros crockerensis ''Diospyros crockerensis'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to nine flowers. The fruits are oblong to ovoid, up to long. The tree is named for the Crocker Range in Malaysia's Sabah state. Habitat i ...
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Diospyros curranii ''Diospyros curranii'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The fruits are roundish, up to in diameter. Habitat is mixed dipterocarp forests from sea-level to altitude. ''D. curranii'' is found in Indochina and from wes ...
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Diospyros daemona ''Diospyros daemona'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The twigs dry greyish. Inflorescences bear up to 10 flowers. The fruits are roundish, drying black, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meanin ...
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Diospyros decandra ''Diospyros decandra'', is a tropical tree in the ebony and persimmon family. Its flowers are white. It is a popular tree in Vietnam where it is grown in urban areas and close to temples. It is called "cây thị" in Vietnamese and it has appea ...
'' – gold apple * ''
Diospyros dichrophylla ''Diospyros dichrophylla'' (Michel Gandoger, Gand.) De Winter (known as the "poison star-apple" or "Bostolbos") is a Southern African tree belonging to the ebony family of Ebenaceae and closely related to the Persimmon (''Diospyros kaki''). Des ...
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Diospyros dictyoneura ''Diospyros dictyoneura'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The fruits are ellipsoid, up to long. The specific epithet ' is from the Greek meaning "net of nerves", referring to the leaf veins. Habitat is lowland mixed dipt ...
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Diospyros diepenhorstii ''Diospyros diepenhorstii'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs are brownish to blackish. The fruits are obovoid to oblong-ellipsoid, up to long. The tree is named for Dutch botanist H. Diepenhorst. Habitat is forest ...
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Diospyros discocalyx ''Diospyros discocalyx'' is a large tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall, with a trunk diameter up to . The bark is black. Inflorescences bear three or more flowers. The fruits are round, up to in diameter. The specific name (botan ...
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Diospyros discolor ''Diospyros blancoi'', (Synonym (taxonomy), synonym ''Diospyros discolor''), commonly known as velvet apple, velvet persimmon, kamagong, or mabolo tree, is a tree of the genus ''Diospyros'' of ebony trees and persimmons. It produces edible fruit ...
'' – kamagong, mabolo, butter fruit, velvet-apple * ''
Diospyros duclouxii ''Diospyros'' is a genus of over 700 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The majority are native to the tropics, with only a few species extending into temperate regions. Individual species valued for their hard, heavy, dark tim ...
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Diospyros ebenum ''Diospyros ebenum'', or Ceylon ebony ( si, කළුවර ''Kaluwara''), is a species of tree in the genus Diospyros and the family Ebenaceae. The tree produces valuable black wood. Description This middle-high evergreen tree grows very sl ...
'' – Ceylon ebony, India ebony, "ebony" * ''
Diospyros elliptifolia ''Diospyros elliptifolia'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to three flowers. The fruits are roundish, drying black, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "elliptic lea ...
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Diospyros eriantha ''Diospyros eriantha'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The fruits are ellipsoid, black, up to long. The specific epithet ' is from the Greek meaning "woolly flowers". ''D. eriantha'' is found in and around southern ...
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Diospyros eucalyptifolia ''Diospyros eucalyptifolia'' is a small tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The fruits are ovoid to round, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin, referring to the leaves' resemblance to those of the genus '' ...
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Diospyros euphlehia ''Diospyros euphlehia'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to 15 flowers. The fruits are ovoid, up to long. ''D. euphlehia'' is endemic to Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-l ...
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Diospyros evena ''Diospyros evena'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs dry to black. Inflorescences bear a solitary flower. The fruits are oblong, up to long. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "without veins", referrin ...
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Diospyros everettii ''Diospyros everettii'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to six flowers. The fruits are roundish, up to in diameter. ''D. everettii'' is found in Borneo and the Philippines The Philippi ...
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Diospyros fasciculosa ''Diospyros fasciculosa'', is a rainforest tree in the ebony family. Australian common names include grey ebony, clustered persimmon, ebony and Long Tom. The specific epithet ''fasciculus'' refers to a “little bundle”, as the flowers and fr ...
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Diospyros ferox ''Diospyros ferox'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to three flowers. The fruits are oblong-ovoid to round, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "fierce", referring t ...
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Diospyros ferrea ''Diospyros ferrea'', known as black ebony, is a tree in the ebony family, distributed in Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malay Peninsula, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos (Khammouan) and Taiwan (Hengchun Peninsula and Orc ...
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Diospyros ferruginescens ''Diospyros ferruginescens'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs dry to black. Inflorescences bear up to nine flowers. The fruits are roundish, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "becom ...
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Diospyros foxworthyi ''Diospyros foxworthyi'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to 15 flowers. The fruits are roundish to oblong, up to in diameter. The tree is named for the American botanist F. W. Foxworthy. Habitat i ...
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Diospyros frutescens ''Diospyros frutescens'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs dry to blackish. Inflorescences bear up to 10 flowers. The fruits are round, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "shrubby" in ...
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Diospyros fusiformis ''Diospyros fusiformis'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to 10 flowers. The fruits are ovoid to spindle-shaped, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "spindle-shaped", ...
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Diospyros geminata ''Diospyros geminata'' is a small tree or shrub of dry rainforest, gallery forest and sub tropical rainforest of Australia and New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a la ...
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Diospyros hallieri ''Diospyros hallieri'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs are reddish brown when young. Inflorescences bear up to 10 flowers. The fruits are ovoid to round, up to in diameter. The tree is named for the German botanist ...
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Diospyros havilandii ''Diospyros havilandii'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs are reddish brown when young, drying whitish. Inflorescences bear up to five flowers. The fruits are ellipsoid to round, drying black, up to in diameter. The ...
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Diospyros hebecarpa ''Diospyros'' is a genus of over 700 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The majority are native to the tropics, with only a few species extending into temperate regions. Individual species valued for their hard, heavy, dark tim ...
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Diospyros hillebrandii ''Diospyros hillebrandii'', is a species of flowering tree in the ebony family, Ebenaceae, that is endemic to the islands of Oahu and Kauai in Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in t ...
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Diospyros hirsuta ''Diospyros hirsuta'' is a tree in the ebony family endemic to Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as ...
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Diospyros humilis ''Diospyros humilis'', commonly named Queensland ebony, is a small eastern Australian tree found throughout Queensland and extending into Northern New South Wales and the Northern Territory. The plant is most commonly found in coastal and semi-a ...
'' – Queensland ebony * ''
Diospyros inconstans ''Diospyros inconstans'' is a species of tree in the family Ebenaceae. It is native to Panama and South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively sm ...
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Diospyros insignis ''Diospyros insignis'', is an evergreen tree in the ebony family, distributed in Western Ghats of India and Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ila ...
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Diospyros insularis ''Diospyros'' is a genus of over 700 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The majority are native to the tropics, with only a few species extending into temperate regions. Individual species valued for their hard, heavy, dark tim ...
'' – Papua ebony * ''
Diospyros kaki ''Diospyros kaki'', the Oriental persimmon, Chinese persimmon, Japanese persimmon or kaki persimmon, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Diospyros''. Although its first botanical description was not published until 1780,Publis ...
'' – Japanese persimmon, kaki persimmon, Asian persimmon * ''
Diospyros keningauensis ''Diospyros keningauensis'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to five flowers. The fruits are round, up to in diameter. The tree is named for Keningau in Malaysia's Sabah state. Its habitat is lower ...
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Diospyros korthalsiana ''Diospyros korthalsiana'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs dry to whitish. Inflorescences bear up to seven flowers. The fruits are oblong or ovoid, drying black, up to long. The tree is named for the Dutch botanist ...
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Diospyros kurzii ''Diospyros kurzii'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs dry to black. The fruits are ellipsoid, up to long. The tree is named for the German botanist and curator W. S. Kurz. Habitat is lowland forests. ''D. kur ...
'' – Andaman marblewood * ''
Diospyros lanceifolia ''Diospyros lanceifolia'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. The specific epithet ''lanceifolia'' means "lance-shaped leaves". Description ''Diospyros lanceifolia'' grows up to tall. Its twigs are reddish brown when young, aging blackish or dar ...
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Diospyros lateralis ''Diospyros lateralis'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to three flowers. The fruits are round to ovoid, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "lateral", referring to ...
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Diospyros leucomelas ''Diospyros leucomelas'' (marble ebony, bois d'ebene marbre or bois d'ebene a veines) is a species of tree endemic to Mauritius. Description This low, multi-stemmed tree species resembles the related species ''Diospyros egrettarum'' (and less s ...
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Diospyros longibracteata ''Diospyros'' is a genus of over 700 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The majority are native to the tropics, with only a few species extending into temperate regions. Individual species valued for their hard, heavy, dark tim ...
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Diospyros lotus ''Diospyros lotus'', with common names date-plum, Caucasian persimmon, or lilac persimmon, is a widely cultivated species of the genus ''Diospyros'', native to subtropical southwest Asia and southeast Europe. Its English name derives from the sma ...
'' – date-plum, Caucasian persimmon, lilac persimmon * ''
Diospyros lunduensis ''Diospyros lunduensis'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The fruits are round, up to in diameter. The tree is named for Lundu in Malaysia's Sarawak state. ''D. lunduensis'' is endemic to Borneo Borneo (; id ...
'' * '' Diospyros lycioides'' – bushveld bluebush ** subsp. ''guerkei'' ** subsp. ''nitens'' ** subsp. ''sericea'' * ''
Diospyros mabacea ''Diospyros mabacea'', the red-fruited ebony is a rare rainforest tree in the ebony or persimmon family growing in north eastern New South Wales. Listed as endangered by extinction. Habitat Found at only thirteen sites in sub tropical rainfor ...
'' – red-fruited ebony * '' Diospyros macrophylla'' * ''
Diospyros maingayi ''Diospyros maingayi'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The twigs dry black. Inflorescences bear up to four flowers. The fruits are oblong to ellipsoid, up to long. The tree is named for British botanist A. C. Maingay. H ...
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Diospyros major ''Diospyros major'', or the Fiji persimmon, is a tree in the family Ebenaceae that is native to Fiji, Tonga, Uvea, and Futuna. It is called 'mapa in the Tongan language. References major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) i ...
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Diospyros malabarica ''Diospyros malabarica'', the gaub tree, Malabar ebony, black-and-white ebony or pale moon ebony, is a species of flowering tree in the family Ebenaceae that is native to the Indian Subcontinent and South East Asia. It is a long-lived, very slow ...
'' – black-and-white ebony, pale moon ebony, Malabar ebony, gaub tree * ''
Diospyros maritima ''Diospyros maritima'' (commonly known as the Malaysian persimmon, broadleaf ebony and sea ebony) is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. The specific epithet ''maritima'' means "by the sea", referring to the tree's habitat. Description ''Diospyros ...
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Diospyros marmorata ''Diospyros'' is a genus of over 700 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The majority are native to the tropics, with only a few species extending into temperate regions. Individual species valued for their hard, heavy, dark tim ...
'' – marblewood ebony, "marblewood" * ''
Diospyros melanoxylon ''Diospyros melanoxylon'', the Coromandel ebony or East Indian ebony, is a species of flowering tree in the family Ebenaceae native to India and Sri Lanka; it has a hard, dry bark. Its common name derives from Coromandel, the coast of southeas ...
'' – Coromandel ebony, East Indian ebony ** var. ''tupru'' * ''
Diospyros mespiliformis ''Diospyros mespiliformis'', the jackalberry (also known as African ebony and by its Afrikaans name jakkalsbessie), is a large dioecious evergreen tree found mostly in the savannas of Africa. Jackals are fond of the fruit, hence the common names ...
'' – jackalberry, "African ebony" * ''
Diospyros mindanaensis ''Diospyros mindanaensis'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to three flowers. The fruits are round to ovoid, up to in diameter. The tree is named for the Philippines island of Mindanao. ''D. mi ...
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Diospyros montana ''Diospyros montana'', the Bombay ebony, is a small deciduous tree in the ebony family up to tall, distributed all along the Western Ghats of India, Sri Lanka, Indo-China through to Australia. References External resources Britannica''Dios ...
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Diospyros mun ''Diospyros'' is a genus of over 700 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The majority are native to the tropics, with only a few species extending into temperate regions. Individual species valued for their hard, heavy, dark tim ...
'' – mun ebony * ''
Diospyros muricata ''Diospyros muricata'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The twigs are covered with short hairs. Inflorescences bear up to seven flowers. The fruits are ovoid, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin me ...
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Diospyros neurosepala ''Diospyros neurosepala'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to six flowers. The fruits are round, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Greek meaning "sinewy sepal", referring to the ...
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Diospyros nigra ''Diospyros nigra'', the black sapote, is a species of persimmon. Common names include chocolate pudding fruit, black soapapple and (in Spanish) ''zapote prieto''. The tropical fruit tree is native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. The c ...
'' – black sapote, chocolate pudding fruit, "black persimmon" * ''
Diospyros oligantha ''Diospyros oligantha'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to 10 flowers. The fruits are round, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Greek meaning "few-flowered", referring to the inf ...
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Diospyros oocarpa ''Diospyros oocarpa'', is a tree in the Ebony family, native to Central and North Malanad of Central Sahyadri of Western Ghats and Sri Lanka. Sometimes, it is classified as a synonym of '' Diospyros marmorata''. Common names * Tamil: Vellai ...
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Diospyros oppositifolia ''Diospyros oppositifolia'' is a species of tree in the ebony family, Ebenaceae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka. Distribution The tree is limited to southwestern Sri Lanka. It has been noted in local forest reserves, such as Sinharaja Biosphere Res ...
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Diospyros ovalifolia ''Diospyros ovalifolia'', known as bastard ebony, is a tree in the family, Ebenaceae (Ebony family), endemic to the leeward side of South Sahyadri of Western Ghats of India and Sri Lanka. Description Full grown trees usually stand 12m tall. Y ...
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Diospyros parabuxifolia ''Diospyros parabuxifolia'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The fruits are ellipsoid, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Greek meaning "similar to '' D. buxifolia''". Its habitat is lower montane ...
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Diospyros pendula ''Diospyros pendula'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The fruits are round to ovoid, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "hanging down", referring to the inflorescence. Habitat is lowland ...
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Diospyros penibukanensis ''Diospyros penibukanensis'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The twigs are covered with dense hairs. Inflorescences bear up to 10 crowded flowers. The fruits are round, up to in diameter. The tree is named for Penibukan ...
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Diospyros pentamera ''Diospyros pentamera'' is a common rainforest tree in the Ebony or Persimmon family (Ebenaceae) growing from near Batemans Bay (36° S) in New South Wales to the Atherton Tableland (17° S) in tropical Queensland, Australia. It is commonly know ...
'' – myrtle ebony, grey persimmon, black myrtle, grey plum * ''
Diospyros perfida ''Diospyros perfida'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to three flowers. The fruits are roundish, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "unsafe", referring to the all ...
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Diospyros pilosanthera ''Diospyros pilosanthera'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The twigs are slender to stout. Inflorescences bear up to 12 flowers. The fruits are round to ovoid, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin ...
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Diospyros piscicapa ''Diospyros piscicapa'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The twigs are stout and smooth. Male inflorescences feature one to three flowers with a tubular calyx. The fruits are ellipsoid to round, up to in diameter. The fr ...
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Diospyros plectosepala ''Diospyros plectosepala'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The fruits are oblong to ellipsoid, up to long. The specific epithet ' is from the Greek meaning "twisted sepal". Its habitat is forests from sea-level to altit ...
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Diospyros puncticulosa ''Diospyros puncticulosa'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The twigs dry to black. The fruits are ovoid, up to long. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "minutely dotted", referring to the fruits. Habitat is ...
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Diospyros pyrrhocarpa ''Diospyros pyrrhocarpa'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs dry greyish to brownish. Inflorescences bear up to three flowers. The fruits are roundish to ovoid-ellipsoid, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is f ...
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Diospyros quaesita ''Diospyros quaesita'' or calamander is a species of tree endemic to Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly kn ...
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Diospyros racemosa ''Diospyros racemosa'', is a semi-evergreen and also a dioecious tree in the ebony family with up to 20 m tall, distributed in India, and Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ...
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Diospyros revaughanii ''Diospyros revaughanii'' is a rare species of tree in the family Ebenaceae (ebony). The tree is one of several species of ebony tree which are endemic to the island of Mauritius, in the western Indian Ocean. Description A short, evergree ...
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Diospyros rhombifolia ''Diospyros rhombifolia'', the diamond-leaf persimmon or princess persimmon, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ebenaceae The Ebenaceae are a family of flowering plants belonging to order Ericales. The family includes ebony and per ...
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Diospyros ridleyi ''Diospyros ridleyi'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs are reddish brown when young. Inflorescences bear up to three flowers. The fruits are round to ovoid, up to in diameter. The tree is named for the English botan ...
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Diospyros rigida ''Diospyros rigida'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The twigs are greyish black. The fruits are round, up to long. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "stiff or rigid", referring to the leaves. Habitat is l ...
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Diospyros rufa ''Diospyros rufa'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs are reddish when young. Inflorescences bear up to 10 flowers. The fruits are round to ellipsoid, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meanin ...
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Diospyros sandwicensis ''Diospyros sandwicensis'' is a species of flowering tree in the ebony family, Ebenaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It belongs to the same genus as both persimmons and ebony. Its common name, ''lama'', also means enlightenment in Hawaiian. ...
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Diospyros seychellarum ''Diospyros seychellarum'', locally known as bwa sagay, is a rare endemic plant from the Seychelles. It occurs on the islands of Mahé, Praslin, Silhouette and Felicite. Description The habitat for this small forest tree or shrub is in well-dr ...
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Diospyros siamang ''Diospyros siamang'' is a small tree in the family Ebenaceae. Inflorescences are about long and bear several flowers. The fruits are urn-shaped, up to long. The tree is named after its Sumatran name. Habitat is peat swamp forests. ''D. si ...
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Diospyros simaloerensis ''Diospyros simaloerensis'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. The twigs dry to a greyish colour. Inflorescences bear up to five flowers. The fruits are round, up to in diameter. The tree is named for Simaloer island in Su ...
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Diospyros singaporensis ''Diospyros singaporensis'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to three flowers. The fruits are round, shiny black, up to long. The tree is named after Singapore. Habitat is lowland mixed dipterocarp ...
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Diospyros squamifolia ''Diospyros squamifolia'' is a small tree in the family Ebenaceae. The specific epithet ''squamifolia'' refers to the fish scale shape of the leaves. Description ''Diospyros squamifolia'' grows up to tall. Its fruits are round, measuring up t ...
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Diospyros squarrosa ''Diospyros squarrosa'', the rigid star-berry, is a dioecious, deciduous shrub or small tree that is native to the tropical and subtropical Afrotropics. Its wood and edible, fleshy fruit are harvested locally. Description The bark is grey to b ...
'' – rigid star-berry * ''
Diospyros styraciformis ''Diospyros styraciformis'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear several flowers. The fruits are roundish, up to in diameter. The specific name (botany), specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "of St ...
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Diospyros subrhomboidea ''Diospyros subrhomboidea'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear a solitary flower. The fruits are round, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "somewhat rhombic", referring ...
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Diospyros subtruncata ''Diospyros subtruncata'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to three flowers. The fruits are obovoid, up to long. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "somewhat truncated", referring to ...
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Diospyros sulcata ''Diospyros sulcata'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to three flowers. The fruits are ovoid or roundish, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "grooved", referring to ...
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Diospyros sumatrana ''Diospyros sumatrana'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to three flowers. The fruits are ellipsoid or oblong, up to long. The tree is named for Sumatra. Habitat is lowland mixed dipterocarp forests ...
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Diospyros tessellaria ''Diospyros tessellaria'' (black ebony, bois d'ebene noir or Mauritian ebony) is a species of tree in the family Ebenaceae. The tree is one of several ebony species endemic to the island of Mauritius in the western Indian Ocean, and was once t ...
'' – Mauritius ebony * ''
Diospyros texana ''Diospyros texana'' is a species of persimmon that is native to central, south and west Texas and southwest Oklahoma in the United States, and eastern Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico. Common names include ...
'' – Texas persimmon, Mexican persimmon, "black persimmon" * ''
Diospyros thwaitesii ''Diospyros thwaitesii'', is a tree in the ebony family, endemic to Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly kno ...
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Diospyros tuberculata ''Diospyros tuberculata'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to five or more flowers. The fruits are ovoid to round, up to in diameter. The specific epithet ' is from the Latin meaning "wart-covered", ...
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Diospyros ulo ''Diospyros ulo'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Inflorescences bear up to three or more flowers. The fruits are obovoid to round, up to in diameter. The tree is named for the Philippine local name ''ulo''. Habitat is ...
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Diospyros venosa ''Diospyros venosa'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It is native to Southeast Asia, from the Maluku Islands to Myanmar. It provides raw material for handicrafts, traditional medicine and fuel. Description ''Diospyros venosa'' grows as a tree ...
'' ** var. ''olivacea'' * ''
Diospyros virginiana ''Diospyros virginiana'' is a persimmon species commonly called the American persimmon, common persimmon, eastern persimmon, simmon, possumwood, possum apples, or sugar plum. It ranges from southern Connecticut to Florida, and west to Texas, ...
'' – American persimmon, eastern persimmon, common persimmon, possumwood, "simmon", "sugar-plum" * ''
Diospyros walkeri ''Diospyros walkeri'' is a tree in the Ebony family, endemic to Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known a ...
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Diospyros wallichii ''Diospyros wallichii'' is a tree in the family Ebenaceae. It grows up to tall. Twigs are rusty-hairy when young. Inflorescences bear up to nine flowers. The fruits are round, up to in diameter. The tree is named for the Danish botanist Nathani ...
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Diospyros whyteana ''Diospyros whyteana'' (also known as the bladdernut, swartbas, wild coffee or umTenatane) is a small African tree of the ebony family. Bearing dark green, strikingly glossy leaves and creamy fragrant flowers, it is increasingly cultivated in Sou ...
'' – Cape ebony


See also

*
Adriaan van Royen Adriaan van Royen (11 November 1704 in Leiden – 28 February 1779 in Leiden) was a Dutch botanist. He was a professor at Leiden University and is associated with Carl Linnaeus. He is best known for his work on flora of Southeast Asia. Adr ...
* Ebonol *
Tonewood Tonewood refers to specific wood varieties that possess tonal properties that make them good choices for use in woodwind or acoustic stringed instruments. Varieties of tonewood As a rough generalization it can be said that stiff-but-light softwoo ...


References


External links

{{Authority control Ericales genera Fruit trees Dioecious plants