272 CHINESE ECONOMIC TREES 



heartwood. The much prized, valuable ebony wood of commerce is 

 derived mostly from Diospyros ebenum; other species in the tropics yield 

 various dyes and medicines. Several species are cultivated for their 

 fruits. Propagated by seeds, by cuttings of half ripened wood, and by 

 layers. The horticultural varieties are usually budded or grafted. 



Diospyros lotus Linnaeus. 

 Wild Persimmon. 



Deciduous trees to 20 m. tall. Leaves elliptic or oblong, 5-13 cm. 

 long, acuminate, membranous and pubescent, shiny green above, paler 

 green below; petiole slender, 12 mm. long. Staminate flowers reddish- 

 white, short stalked, in clusters of 3's. Pistillate flowers solitary. Calyx 

 lobed half way down to the base. Corolla green, tinged with red, glabrous 

 on the outside. Stamens 16. Ovary glabrous except at the apex. Fruit 

 globose, 1.2-2 cm. long, yellow at first, dark purple when ripe and covered 

 with a whitish bloom, sweet and edible. 



W. Asia, N. Persia, N. India, N. China. Naturalized in the Medi- 

 terranean region. Diospyros lotus has been reported as a common tree in 

 the mountains near Peking. The fruit is small, oval, pointed, blackish, 

 sweet and edible when fully ripe. This tree is used as stock upon which 

 the cultivated forms are grafted. The rich black heartwood is very 

 valuable for the manufacture of fancy articles and high grade furniture. 

 For these purposes it rivals the ebony and mahogany of commerce. 



Diospyros kaki Linnaeus. 



Tree 15 m. tall. Leaves 8-1 S cm. long. Flowers yellowish-white. 

 Stamens 16-24. Styles divided to the base. Staminate and pistillate 

 flowers differ in size and shape. Fruit very variable, generally orange or 

 yellow, of the size and shape of the tomato, about 8 cm. in diameter. 



China. Introduced into Japan. 



The common cultivated tree, with many varieties distinguished. 

 Two distinct types occupy distinct localities; the northern type is thin 

 skinned and yellow; the southern type is thick skinned and orange or 

 reddish. The fruit is very variable in size and shape, but in general, it 

 is tomato-like, with one or more furrows around the circumference. The 

 unripe fruit of this species is used to waterproof paper hats and umbrel- 

 las. A note on the technique of the making of the varnish may prove 



