Commercial timbers

H. G. Richter and M. J. Dallwitz


Diospyros spp. (Schwarze Ebenhölzer, black ebony - Afrika, Madagaskar)

Nomenclature etc. EBENACEAE. Afrika: Diospyros crassiflora etc.; Madagaskar: D. perrieri etc. Trade and local names: African ebony (GB, trade); afrikanisches Ebenholz (D); ebène d'Afrique (F,B); ébano (P,E); abokpo, kanran, nyareti, osibin (WAN); mevini, mavini, ndou (CAM); evila (G); ngoubou, bingo (ZRE). D. perrieri: Madagaskar Ebenholz (D); hazozoby, lepinga(o), mapingo (RM). Status of protection under CITES regulations: not protected.

Tree. Geographic distribution: tropical Africa to Madagascar & other islands.

General. Heartwood basically purple, without streaks. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.9–1.05 g/cm³.

Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows or radial rows of 4 or more. Average tangential vessel diameter 80–120 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 8–14. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 3–5 µm. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits. Other deposits in heartwood vessels present (black, some reddish-brown).

Tracheids and fibres. Fibres very thick-walled. Fibre pits common in both radial and tangential walls, distinctly bordered.

Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma bands reticulate, fine, up to three cells wide. Bands predominantly uniseriate, some possibly limiting growth increments (marginal). Axial parenchyma apotracheal, or paratracheal. Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty, or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 4–8.

Rays. Rays 15–20 per tangential mm, exclusively uniseriate. Rays composed of two or more cell types. Heterocellular rays square and upright cells restricted to marginal rows. Number of marginal rows of upright or square cells 1 to more than 4. Sporadically also biseriate rays.

Storied structures. Storied structure absent.

Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Silica not observed.

Miscellaneous. • Transverse section. Diospyros sp. • Tangential section. Diospyros sp. • Radial section. Diospyros sp.


Cite this publication as: H. G. Richter and M. J. Dallwitz (2000 onwards). 'Commercial timbers: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval.' In English, French, German, and Spanish. Version: 4th May 2000. http://biodiversity.uno.edu/delta/.

Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993 onwards, 1995 onwards, 1998) should also be cited (see General references).

Index