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
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