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Ebony family
Ebenaceae Gürke
カキノキ科
A family of woody plants distributed in tropical to subtropical regions, comprising about 770 species. In Japan, Diospyros kaki (persimmon), D. lotus, and D. maritima are native or cultivated; persimmon is an important fruit tree. Ebony, a prized timber for fine furniture and musical instruments, is obtained from Diospyros species.
Key Characteristics
- ●Leaves are simple, alternate, entire, and coriaceous
- ●Flowers are dioecious (or monoecious), with urceolate to campanulate sympetalous corolla
- ●Calyx and corolla are 3- to 7-lobed and persistent
- ●Fruit is a berry, rich in tannins (astringent persimmon)
Morphological Traits
A family may include species with different trait values — multiple values indicate the range within the family.
Leaf arrangement
Alternate / Opposite / Whorled
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Pinnate
Leaf margin
Entire
Growth form
Shrub / Tree
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Leaf dissection
Undivided
Stipules
Absent
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Petal count
6 petals / Many
Ovary position
Superior
Stamen count
3-4 / 5 / 6 / 7-10
Plant sex
Dioecious / Hermaphrodite
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core Eudicots > Ericales > Ebenaceae
Divergence Era
Paleogene (ca. 55 million years ago)
Representative Genera
Related Evolution Events
- ・Development of fruit defense through tannin accumulation, with sweetening upon maturity
- ・Evolution of dark heartwood (ebony) in tropical trees
Plants in Ebony family on this site
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