Diospyros

Diospyros is a genus of flowering plants in the family Ebenaceae, comprising more than 700 described species of trees and shrubs. They are distributed in tropical and warm temperate regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas, with the highest species diversity in Asia. The plants range from small understory trees to tall canopy trees. Leaves are typically simple and alternate; flowers are small and may be unisexual or bisexual. The fruit is a berry, and in several species the fruit is edible, most notably those in the persimmon group.

Several species yield valuable timber known as ebony; the heartwood is very dense, dark, and resistant to moisture, and has been used for piano keys, fine furniture, carvings, and musical instruments. Ebony timber is harvested from various Diospyros species, including D. ebenum (Ceylon ebony), D. celebica, and D. crassiflora, among others, and is subject to regulation due to slow growth and overexploitation. Some species are also cultivated for fruit, most prominently D. kaki (Asian persimmon), while D. virginiana (American persimmon) is native to North America.

Taxonomy and systematics: Diospyros is the largest genus in Ebenaceae, within the order Ericales. The genus includes numerous subgenera and species with a range of habitat preferences from forest margins to open woodlands. Ongoing taxonomic revisions and phylogenetic studies seek to clarify relationships among the species and the origin of cultivated persimmons.