Diospyros Diospyros 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 timber, are commonly known as ebony trees, while others are valued for their fruit and known as persimmon trees. Some are useful as ornamentals and many are of local ecological importance. The generic name "Diospyros" comes from a Latin name for the Caucasian persimmon ("D. lotus"), derived from the Greek "diós" () and "pyrós" (). The Greek name literally means
Diospyros revaughanii species of ebony, this tree yields a dark black ebony wood. Consequently, it was severely exploited for wood and was decimated from much of its former range. It is now a threatened species and only survives in a few spots in the south-west of the island - around Bel Ombre, Mt Lion, and Perrier Nature Reserve - on exposed ridges and wet highland forest where it has escaped felling. The last patches of this tree's habitat are still threatened. Although it produces large amounts of fruit with fertile seed, these do not often germinate. The fruits were formerly eaten by