210 



COMMON PERSIMMON. 

 Diospyros virginiana, Linnaeus. 



FAMILY AND GENUS DESCRIPTION— The Ebony family, Ebenaceae, is widely distributed 

 iu the tropics, and only a few representatives are found in the temperate regions. It comprises 

 about 6 genera with more than 250 species. The most important genus is Diospyros which has 2 

 representatives in the flora of the United States and 1 in Pennsylvania. This genus comprises 

 about 160 species found mostly in the tropics. Members of this genus produce some of the ebony 

 of commerce, and valuable foods in China and Japan. The species described below is the sole 

 representative of this genus in eastern North America. One other species is found in the 

 southern and western parts of Texas. 



FORM — A small tree usually from 25 to 50 ft. in height with a diameter of less than 12 

 inches, but may reach a height of 100 ft. with a diameter of 2 feet. Trunk usually short and 

 slender. Crown high and braad-topped. It often spreads by roots migrating under the ground, 



forming dense thickets. 



BARK — On old trunks thick, hard, dark gray to dark brown or black, cinnamon-red at the 

 bottom of the fissures; separates into thick squarish blocks which peel off into thin scales. 

 See Fig. 101. 



TWIGS — Slender, bittar, astringent, grayish to reddish-brown becoming darker in second 

 year, usually pale pubescent, covered with a few scattered orange-colored lenticels, and contain 

 large pith or pith chamber. 



BUDS — Alternate, broadly ovate, closely pressed against twig, i of an inch long, sharp- 

 pointed, covered by 2 dark brown glossy scales; terminal bud absent. 



LEAVES — Alternate, simple, oval, acute at apex, entire on margin, wedge-shaped to heart- 

 shaped at base, 4-6 inches long, thick, dark green and shiny above, often hairy below. Leaf- 

 stalks are |-1 inch long, and contain 1 fibro-vascular bundle. 



LEAF-SCARS — Alternate, elevated, flattened, contain 1 prominent bundle-scar which Is trans- 

 versely-elongated, or several becoming confluent. 



FLOWERS — White, appearing about May or June. Staminate and pistillate flowers occur 

 separate. Staminate arranged in 2-3-flowered cymes. Pistillate solitary, and borne on short 

 stalks. 



FRUIT — A juicy, spherical, orange-colored, often red-cheeked berry with remnants of style 

 persisting and seated in enlarged green calyx. Often very astringent. Sometimes edible be- 

 fore frost appears. Contains from 1-8 seeds, usually 4-6. 



WOOD — Diffuse-porous: heavy, hard, compact, susceptible to a high polish, strong; heart- 

 wood is brown to black but usually forms late; sapwood is wide, yellowish and often streaked 

 with black. Weighs about 49 lbs. per cubic foot. Used for shuttles, gold heads, billiard cues, 

 mallets, parquet flooring, brush backs, veneer. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS— The Persimmon, also known as Date-plum and Pos- 

 sum-wood, can be distinguished in summer by its alternate, simple, entire-margined, deep green 

 leaves with only 1 tibro-vascular bundle in the leaf-stalk and the rough bark which is often 

 broken up into quadrangular blocks and is evidently cinnamon-red at the base of the fissures. 

 In autumn the fruit is characteristic. In winter the rough bark with cinnamon-red color at the 

 bottom of the fissure, the semi-orbicular leaf-scars with only 1 bundle-scar, the broadly ovate 

 buds with 2 dark brown scales, the reddish-brown slightly pubescent twigs with relatively large 

 pith or pith cavity, and the persistent remnants of flowers are distinctive. 



RANGE — Connecticut to Florida, westward to Iowa and Texas. 



DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA— Common in the eastern and southern parts of the 

 State. Abundant on Gettysburg battlefield. Local in southwestern part of the State. Absent 

 in the higher mountainous parts. ^ 



HABITAT — Prefers a light, somewhat sandy well-drained soil. Tolerates rich bottomlands 

 especially in the South. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES — The Persimmon is too small in size and too limited in dis- 

 tribution in this State to be of commercial importance from the point of view of wood produc- 

 tion. It is essentially a southern tree. The tree has an attractive form, beautiful clean foliage, 

 and an exceptionally attractive bark. It rarely exceeds 40 feet in height with a diameter of 12 

 inches in this State. 



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