366 EBENACEM. 
prevents bilious and febrile attacks. We have not seen the 
bark or seeds used, nor do the natives appear to have noticed 
their medicinal properties. The tree yields a kind of gutta- 
percha similar to that of other sapotaceous plants. 
Description.—The bark is red with a grey suberous 
outer coat; it has a bitter and strongly astringent taste. The 
fruit is ovoid externally rusty brown and rough, internally 
yellowish white, soft and pulpy ; when quite ripe it has a 
medlar-like flavour. The seeds are black, shining, ovoid and 
elongated. 
Chemical. composition.—Bernou (L’Union peer ee 
1882,) separated from the bark two resins, one of which is 
soluble in ether, 11:8 per cent. of tannin, and the alkaloid 
sapotine, which is soluble in alcohol, ether, and chloroform, 
and is precipitated from its salts by ammonia. 
EBENACE. 
DIOSPYROS EMBRYOPTERIS, Pers. 
Fig.—Bot. Reg., t. 499; Bedd. Fl. Sylv., t. 69; Roxb, Cor. 
Pl. ¢., t. 70; Rheede Hort. Mal. iti,, t. 41. Indian Persimmon 
(Eng.), Plaqueminier Glutinifére (F’r.). 
Hab -—Throughout India. The fruit, 
Vernacular.—Taindu (Hind.), G&b (Beng.), Tumbilik-kay 
(Tam.), Tumiki, Tinduki (Tel.), Panich-chi (Mal.), Timburni, 
Temar (Mar. 7 Temra (Guz.). 
History, Uses, &c.—D, Embryopteris is the Tinduka 
of Sanskrit writers; its bark is described in the Nighantas as 
a good application to boils and tumours, and the juice of the 
fresh bark as useful in bilious fever. The fruit when unripe 
is said to be cold, light, and astringent, and when ripe bene- 
ficial in blood diseases, gonorrhoea, aud leprosy. A kind of. 
