Diospyros ebenum Diospyros ebenum Diospyros ebenum, or Ceylon ebony, is a species of tree in the genus Diospyros and the family Ebenaceae. The tree produces valuable black wood. This middle-high evergreen tree grows very slowly up to tall. The leaves are entire-like and have a prolonged oval form, about long and wide. The fruit is not very big, approximately in diameter. It resembles small persimmon fruit. Sap wood is light yellowish gray. The wood core is glossy-black seldom with occasional light fibers. This wood with metallic gloss also has fine and smooth texture. The wood grains can be straight, a bit chaotically
Flora of Madagascar Population growth and transformation of the landscape was particularly rapid since the mid-20th century. The native flora of Madagascar is used for a variety of purposes by the Malagasy people. Richard Baron, at the end of the 19th century, described more than one hundred native plants used locally and commercially. These include many timber trees such as native ebony ("Diospyros") and rosewood ("Dalbergia") species, the raffia palm "Raphia farinifera" used for fibre, dyeing plants, as well as medicinal and edible plants. The traveller's tree has various uses in the east of Madagascar, chiefly as building material. Madagascar's national instrument "valiha"