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
Fruit especially a botanical fruit; a "nut" is any hard, oily, and shelled plant product; and a "vegetable" is any savory or less sweet plant product. However, in botany, a "fruit" is the ripened ovary or carpel that contains seeds, a "nut" is a type of fruit and not a seed, and a "seed" is a ripened ovule. Examples of culinary "vegetables" and nuts that are botanically fruit include corn, cucurbits (e.g., cucumber, pumpkin, and squash), eggplant, legumes (beans, peanuts, and peas), sweet pepper, and tomato. In addition, some spices, such as allspice and chili pepper, are fruits, botanically speaking. In