Diospyros spp. (Gestreifte Ebenhölzer, streaked ebony)
Nomenclature etc. EBENACEAE. Diospyros celebica, D. discolor, D. insularis, D. kurzii, D. marmorata etc. Trade and local names: D. celebica: Coromandel (NL); Macassar ebony (GB, trade); Makassar Ebenholz, gestreiftes Ebenholz (D); kayu hitam, batuline, maitem, gongo moitomo (RI). D. discolor: kamagong (RP). D. insularis: New Guinea ebony (PNG, trade). D. kurzii, D. marmorata: Andaman marblewood, zebrawood (IND, GB). Status of protection under CITES regulations: not protected.
Tree. Geographic distribution: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka to Indomalesia.
General. Heartwood basically brown and black, with streaks. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.85–1.05 g/cm³.
Vessels. Wood diffuse-porous. Vessels in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows or radial rows of 4 or more. Average tangential vessel diameter 100–160 µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 9–32. Average vessel element length 900–1500 µm. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 5–7 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 2–4. Sporadically also biseriate rays.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in ray cells or axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing ray cells upright and/or square or procumbent. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered, or not chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Silica not observed.
Miscellaneous. • Transverse section. Diospyros celebica. • Tangential section. Diospyros celebica. • Radial section. Diospyros celebica.
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).
