Diospyros insularis (PROSEA)

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Plant Resources of South-East Asia
Introduction
List of species


Diospyros insularis Bakh.


Protologue: Gard. Bull. Str. Settl. 7: 173 (1933).

Vernacular names

  • Papua ebony (En).

Distribution

New Ireland and the Solomon Islands.

Uses

D. insularis is an important source of black ebony; the wood is exported.

Observations

Leaves elliptical-oblong to linear-elliptical, 10-25 cm × 5-11 cm, base slightly to distinctly cordate, apex short obtusely acuminate, glabrous, tertiary venation reticulate, prominent on both surfaces; male flowers in many-flowered cymes, 4-merous, stamens 28-32; female flowers in 1-3-flowered cymes; fruit ellipsoid to subglobose, 2-2.5 cm across, with 8 seeds, sericeous when young, later glabrous. Not much is known about this species which, however, is apparently an important source of black ebony.

Selected sources

42, 204.