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A Rare Fruit Tree of Hawaii 



The Black Persimmon or Guaya-bota, Diospyros Ebenaster Retz. 



Editor Hawaiian Forester and Agriculturist. 



Sir : — During recent visits to various parts of the island of 

 Oahu, in connection with the judging of school and home gardens, 

 my attention was attracted to a rare and interesting fruit tree, 

 the black persimmon. A fine specimen may be found in the old 

 Watson homestead, in the Kaneohe district. It probably occurs 

 here and there in old gardens and plantations on the other islands. 

 The fruit is delicious in flavor and deserves attention. The fol- 

 lowing data comprise the first detailed account of the plant and 

 fruit in Hawaii : 



This luscious fruit is native to the West Indies, Mexico and 

 Central America, where it is known as ''Guaya-bota'' or "Zapota 

 negro.'" It has no common English name, but may be designated 

 at the black persimmon. It has been introduced into Florida and 

 California, but is almost as rare inThese regions as it is in Hawaii. 

 The fruit requires fairly high temperatures and copious precipi- 

 tation for its best development. On Oahu it seems to grow well 

 in heavy soil, providing there be sufficient drainage. 



The black persimmon is a tall, slender tree, with ascending 

 branches, and reaching a height of 18 to 25 feet. The handsome 

 crown of foliage is evergreen, very dark and glossy. The bark 

 of the trunk and older branches is dotted with small corky pro- 

 tuberances. The wood is hard, fine-grained and durable, some- 

 what resembling ebony in general characters. The branches are 

 brittle, smooth, glossy and light green. 



The leaves are alternate, elliptic or oblong, with obtuse apex 

 and entire margin. The petiole is ^ to 1 inch; the blade is long 

 and narrow, 4 to 12 inches long and 1^ to 2 inches broad, glossy 

 dark green above, lighter beneath. The flowers are solitary, 

 axillary, white, and fragrant; the calyx and corolla are 4-lobed. 



The fruit, which is the part of economic and horticultural im- 

 portance, is 2 to 3 inches diameter, globular or oblate, and bear- 

 ing the enlarged calyx at the base. The rind is smooth and thin ; 

 when unripe it is light green, dotted with numerous small whitish 

 lenticels ; upon maturity it changes to a dark shining-brown. The 

 flesh is soft, melting, juicy and fiberless. When fully mature it 

 is dark chocolate colored or almost black, and very sweet and 

 delicious in flavor. The immature fruit is highly astringent, as 

 are many of this family. On Oahu, where the tree is found at the 

 lower elevations, the fruit ripens in middle and late winter, 

 December to February. 



Each fruit contains 1 to 10 large, flat, smooth, dark-brown 

 seeds, which are not difficult to germinate. It would be also pos- 

 sible to multiply the plant by means of cuttings of the mature 



