Diospyros nigra excellent flavor. 'Mérida' (also 'Reineke' or 'Reinecke') is named after the origin of its seed. It produces 70 kg or more of very sweet, small to medium-sized fruit of very good quality with 5-10 seeds, beginning 6–8 weeks earlier than other varieties (November in Florida). 'Manilla' and 'Valesca' have few seeds. Diospyros nigra Diospyros nigra, the black sapote, is a species of persimmon. Common names include chocolate pudding fruit, black soapapple and (in Spanish) zapote prieto. The tropical fruit tree is native to eastern Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and into Colombia. The common name sapote refers to any soft,
Ebony prized for its luxuriant, multi-colored wood grain. Mauritius ebony, "Diospyros tessellaria", was largely exploited by the Dutch in the 17th century. Some species in the genus "Diospyros" yield an ebony with similar physical properties, but striped rather than evenly black ("Diospyros ebenum"). Ebony has a long history of use, with carved pieces having been found in Ancient Egyptian tombs. By the end of the 16th century, fine cabinets for the luxury trade were made of ebony in Antwerp. The wood's dense hardness lent itself to refined moldings framing finely detailed pictorial panels with carving in very low relief (bas-relief), usually