Ebony certification in several South Asian countries. Ebony Ebony is a dense black hardwood, most commonly yielded by several different species in the genus "Diospyros", which also contains the persimmons. Ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely-textured and has a very smooth finish when polished, making it valuable as an ornamental wood. The word "ebony" comes from the Ancient Egyptian "hbny", through the Ancient Greek ("ébenos"), into Latin and Middle English. Species of ebony include "Diospyros ebenum" (Ceylon ebony), native to southern India and Sri Lanka; "Diospyros crassiflora" (Gabon ebony), native to western Africa; and "Diospyros celebica"
Diospyros medical compound betulinic acid. Extracts from "Diospyros" plants have also been proposed as novel anti-viral treatment. Though bees do not play a key role as pollinators, in plantations "Diospyros" may be of some use as honey plants. "D. mollis", locally known as "mặc nưa", is used in Vietnam to dye the famous black "lãnh Mỹ A" silk of Tân Châu district. The reverence of these trees in their native range is reflected by their use as floral emblems. In Indonesia, "D. celebica" (Makassar ebony, known locally as "eboni") is the provincial tree of Central Sulawesi, while ajan kelicung ("D. macrophylla")