EBENACEAE — EBONY 681 



stance being also obtained from Mimusops Kauki, a large tree, native of British 

 Guiana. The former contains gutta C^^Hj^N, fliiavil Cj^N^^O, and alban 

 C^pHg^O,. Sapotin C^gH^^Og^ occurs in the bark of Achras Sapota and of 

 Symplocos racemosa. In lotus bark occur three basic substances : loturin, col- 

 loturin and loturdin. In the seeds of Illipe Maccleyana a toxic glucoside, C^^ 

 Hg,O^Q, is found. 



The Sapotaceae or Sapodilla family contains a number of plants of economic 

 importance in the tropics ; among these are Mimusops Kauki, Dichopsis 

 Gutta, Palaquiiun oblongifolium, of the East Indies, and other species 

 which furnish gutta percha. This is obtained from the latex of these plants 

 and because of its plasticity, is particularly valuable in the manufacture of 

 surgical instruments and for temporary filling of teeth. The same substance 

 is produced by Sideroxylon tomeiitosum and Payeim. The Sapodilla tree (Achras 

 Sapota) of Yucatan produces an aromatic gum resin which is largely used in 

 the manufacture of chewing gum. Vegetable butter is obtained from the seeds 

 of Bassia butyracea. The Sapodilla or Sapote {A. Sapota) is commonly culti- 

 vated in the tropics, especially the West Indies and Central America, for its 

 wild fruit. The star apple, Chrysophyllum Cainito, also produces a valuable 

 fruit. Hard iron woods are produced by Mimusops Kauki of Australia and 

 Argania Sideroxylon of Morocco. Saponin-like substances are produced by 

 several plants of the family such as Oniphalocarpum proceruni. The Lucuma 

 salicifolia and Payena latifolia contain hydrocyanic acid. 



Ebenaceae. Ebony Family 



Trees or shrubs with very hard wood, alternate entire leaves and polygamous 

 regular flowers ; stamens from 2-4 times as many as the lobes of the corolla : 

 ovary 3-12 celled; ovules 1-3 in each cavity; fruit a several-celled berry; seeds 

 mostly single in each cell, large and flat, with a smooth coat. 



About 6 genera and 275 species. The most widely distributed tree in the 

 United States is the common persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), a tree from 

 20-70 feet high, found in woods and old fields from Rhode Island to New York 

 and southern Iowa. The fruit is commonly eaten and the unripe fruit is used 

 in medicine for internal hemorrhage. The Japanese persimmon (D. Kaki) with 

 small flowers and a greenish-yellow fruit, of variable size and shape, is cultivated 

 in the Southern States and California for its fruit, which is delicious. In Egypt 

 it is cultivated under the name of Lotus tree. 



The Indian persimmon (D. Einbryopteris) is a middle-sized evergreen tree 

 native from India to Java, and is used in India in medicine, especially for 

 chronic dysentery. Ebony wood comes from several species like the Ceylon 

 ebony, Indian ebony (D. Ebenum) and {D. melanoxylon), and is highly prized 

 for furniture since it is hard and black. The calamander wood {D. quesita) of 

 Ceylon is a hard wood prized for making boxes. The mangosteen or mabola 

 (D. discolor), a native of the Philippine Islands, is now commonly cultivated in 

 the tropics for its fruit, which is about the size of a quince and has a pleasant 

 flavor. Other hardwooded trees are D. Cargillia and D. pentaincra, natives of 

 New South Wales. 



Ebony wood is of various colors; the black from D. ebenum; red ebony 

 from D. rubra, native of Mauritius; white ebony from D. chloroxylou. Other 

 species of Diospyros furnish a striped ebony, and others a green. 



