Ebenaceae is a family of trees and shrubs many of which have economic importance by virtue of their hard, very dark coloured wood - such as Ebony, They mainly occur in tropical and subtropical countries and include the genera Diospyros, Euclaea and Tetraclis. The leaves are alternate, and generally coriaceous and shining; calyx monosepalous and persistent, with three or six equal divisions; corolla monopetalous, with imbricated divisions. The fruit is a globular berry containing a small number of compressed seeds. Research Ebenaceae
Ebony is the popular name of various plants of different genera, agreeing in having wood of a dark colour. The best-known ebony is derived from plants of the genusDiospyros, of the natural order Ebenaceae.
The most valuable is the heart-wood of Diospyros Ebenus, which grows in great abundance in the flat parts of Sri Lanka, and is of such size that logs of its heart-wood 60 cm in diameter and from 3 to 4.5 metres long are easily procured. Other varieties of valuable ebony are obtained from Diospyros Ebenaster of the East Indies and Diospyros melanoxylon of Coromandel. Ebony is hard, heavy, and durable, and admits of a fine polish or gloss. The most usual colour is black, red, or green. The best is jet black, free from veins, very heavy, astringent, and of an acrid pungent taste. On burning coals it yields an agreeable perfume, and when green it readily takes fire from its abundance of fat. It is wrought into toys, and used for mosaic and inlaid work, but is most familiar as the black keys on a piano keyboard. Research Ebony
Maba is a genus of tropical evergreen trees and shrubs belonging to the family Ebenaceae. They usually bear dioecious flowers, more or less campanulate in form. Research Maba
Ebony is the heart-wood of various species of Diospyros, trees of the order Ebenaceae. It is a heavy, deep black wood used in piano keys and inlaying. Research Ebony
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Ebenaceae
