Diospyros

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Diospyros
Temporal range: Eocene–Recent
Flowers of Diospyros kaki
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ebenaceae
Genus: Diospyros
L.[1]
Type species
Diospyros lotus

L.
Diversity
About 750 species
Synonyms[1]
  • Cargillia R.Br.
  • Cavanillea Desr.
  • Ebenus Kuntze (nom. illeg.)
  • Embryopteris Gaertn.
  • Guaiacana Duhamel (nom. illeg.)
  • Idesia Scop.
  • Maba J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.
  • Mabola Raf.
  • Macreightia A.DC.
  • Noltia Thonn.
  • Paralea Aubl.
  • Pimia Seem.
  • Rhaphidanthe Hiern ex Gürke
  • Ropourea Aubl.
  • Royena L.
  • Tetraclis Hiern

Diospyros is a

dioecious, with separate male and female plants.[2]

Taxonomy and etymology

The generic name Diospyros comes from a

D. lotus), derived from the Greek διόσπυρος : dióspyros, from diós (Διός) and pyrós (πῡρός). The Greek name literally means "Zeus's wheat" but more generally intends "divine food" or "divine fruit".[3][4]

The genus is a large one and the number of species has been estimated variously, depending on the date of the source. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, list has over 1000 entries, including synonyms and items of low confidence. Over 700 species are marked as being assigned with high confidence.[5]

The oldest fossils of the genus date to the Eocene, which indicate by that time Diospyros was widely distributed over the Northern Hemisphere.[6]

Chemotaxonomy

The leaves of

esters of α- and β-amyrin.[7] Both isoarborinol methyl ether and the amyrin mixture demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Trichophyton interdigitale.[7] Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties have also been shown for the isolated amyrin mixture.[7]

Ecology

Diospyros species are important and conspicuous trees in many of their native

Louisiade Archipelago rain forests, Madagascar lowland forests, Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests, New Caledonian sclerophytic vegetation,[9] New Guinea mangroves or South Western Ghats montane rain forests
.

The green fruits are

foliage is used as food by the larvae of numerous Lepidoptera
species:

Arctiidae
:

Geometridae
:

  • Gymnoscelis rufifasciata (double-striped pug) – recorded on persimmons

Limacodidae:

Lycaenidae:

Nymphalidae:

Saturniidae:

  • Actias luna
     (Luna moth) – recorded on persimmons
  • Callosamia promethea (promethea silkmoth) – recorded on persimmons
  • American persimmon
    (D. virginiana)

Tortricidae:

  • "Cnephasia" jactatana
     (black-lyre leafroller moth)

An economically significant

sac fungus Pseudocercospora kaki, which causes a leaf spot
disease.

Use by humans

Ebony jivari of a sitar

The genus includes several plants of commercial importance, either for their edible

American persimmon
, D. virginiana) may still be used on a more limited basis.

Leaves of the

Tân Châu
district.

The reverence of these trees in their native range is reflected by their use as

Amphoe Tha Tako, literally means "District of the Diospyros pier
", the latter being a popular local gathering spot.

Selected species

See also: List of Diospyros species
Diospyros buxifolia leaves
Diospyros celebica wood
Gold apple
(D. decandra) fruit
Diospyros discolor in Central Luzon
, Philippines
Diospyros geminata foliage and young fruit
Diospyros revaughanii in Mauritius
Diospyros virginiana in Tampa, Florida
Diospyros whyteana twig with young fruit
Diospyros eriantha foliage
Diospyros ferrea, slow growth
Diospyros blancoi, known also as "Taiwan ebony", slow growth

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Genus: Diospyros L." Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) [Online Database]. United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland. 28 Apr 1998. Retrieved 15 Sep 2016.
  2. hdl:2433/191079
    .
  3. ISBN 0398061793
    .
  4. ^ Tice, John. H. "Essay on the Diospyros virginiana" Annual report / Missouri State Horticultural Society 1864.
  5. ^ "Diospyros". The Plant List. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  6. S2CID 237648462
    .
  7. ^
    S2CID 205836127.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  8. ^ The Nature Conservancy – Hawaiʻi Operating Unit (March 2004). "Kānepuʻu Preserve Lānaʻi, Hawaiʻi Long-Range Management Plan Fiscal Years 2005–2010" (PDF). Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources Natural Area Partnership Program: 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-16. Retrieved 2009-04-09. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. PMID 26430059
    .
  10. ^ "Antiviral Agent and Antiviral Composition".

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Diospyros.
Wikispecies has information related to Diospyros.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Diospyros&oldid=1219316801"