Diospyros viridicans
Hiern
Ebenaceae
Diospyros kekemi Aubrév. & Pellegr.
Common Name:
General Information
Diospyros viridicans is a tree that can grow up to 20 metres tall. The long, straight bole can be 40cm in diameter[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
West tropical Africa - Sierra Leone to Cameroon and Central African Republic, south to Gabon, Congo, DR Congo and northern Angola.
Habitat
Lowland rain forest[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Tree |
| Height | 20.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
We have seen no individual confirmation for this species, but in general Diospyros species are dioecious and require both male and female forms to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
899- Title
- Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak Vols 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Soepadmo E.; Saw L.G.; Chung R.C.K. (Editors)
- Publisher
- Forest Research Institute Malaysia; Kuala Lumpur.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 983-2181-27-5
- Description
- A flora of the woody plants of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo, often giving details of plant uses.
].
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
]. The fruit is black when fully ripe.
Medicinal
A decoction of the leafy twigs is drunk as a treatment for leprosy. Sometimes the leaves of Raphiostylis beninensis and the bark of Anogeissus leiocarpus are added[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - in general the seed of Diospyros species has a very short viability and so should be sown as soon as possible. The flesh should be removed since this contains germination inhibitors. Sow the seed in a shady position in a nursery seedbed. The sowing media for ebony uses soil and fine sand at the ratio 3:1. The seed is planted horizontally or vertically with the radicle end down, with a sowing depth of 1 - 1½ times the thickness of seed. Distance between the seeds is 3 - 5cm. Seeds are very sensitive to desiccation during germination and early growth, so must be regularly watered at this time. Normally the seed will germinate after one week[
].
As a rule fresh seeds have a high percentage of fertility. The seedlings develop long taproots at an early stage, often before any appreciable elongation of the shoot takes place. The growth of the seedling is decidedly slow [
652- Title
- The Silviculture of Indian Trees
- Publication
-
- Author
- Troup. R.S.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Oxford, at the Clarendon Press
- Year
- 1921
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent treatment.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
