INDO-MALAYAN WOODS. 
545 
rather local occurrence and is usually of small size. It seems to fur- 
nish the best of the ebony canes sold in Manila. 
Ata-ata. — This is the name given to Diospyros spp. which have a 
white or streaked sapwood and a dead black heart. The sapwood and 
heartwood are not here so sharply separated as in Mala luxifolia and 
the relative amount of heartwood is less ; ata-ata seems to be of fairly 
common occurrence from southern Luzon southward. It usually forms 
considerably larger trees than does Mala luxifolia. 
Streaked elonies. — These are the most beautiful woods of the group. 
They are known as lolongeta and carnagon. 
Bolongeta, — This is produced by Diospyros pilosanthera Blanco, and, 
probably, other species. The sapwood is pink or reddish and the heart- 
wood black with brownish or reddish streaks. This is a large tree of 
frequent occurrence and wide distribution in the Archipelago. It is used 
for various articles of furniture and for structural work. It is sometimes 
used for piling, but is said to be very subject to teredo attack. If an 
artificial seasoning method can be devised, this will be a very prominent 
source of commercial ebony. 
Oamagon. — This seems to be mainly the product of Diospyros dis- 
color Willcl. Next to bolongeta, it is the most commonly seen of our 
ebonies. It is cultivated for its fruit, which is known as malolo. The 
sapwood is gray-mottled to purplish-gray with black spots; the heart- 
wood is black with brownish streaks. It is not to be distinguished in 
appearance from the Calamander wood of Ceylon. It is commonly used 
for fancy furniture and for canes. 
Of the other ebonies, Diospyros niticla Merr. may be mentioned for 
its uniform dull bluish-gray wood, much like the sapwood of carnagon. 
Apparently this species does not form a distinct heartwood. It is of 
small size and relatively infrequent occurrence. 
Other forms of ebony may occur in the Islands, but they are certainly 
not of commercial importance. The so-called “white ebonjq” Diospyros 
malacapai A. DC., is not well known. It may be nothing but sapwood 
of ata-ata or other ebonies. 
I believe that any of the above-described ebonies may, at times, pro- 
duce the dense black form. 
Elonies in Malaya. — Kayu arcing is the name applied to those ebonies 
of the Malay region which produce a distinct black heartwood. 
In Borneo, various species of Diospyros which do not have distinct 
black heartwood are known as kayu madam or mar pinang. 
Some very fine large ebony logs are produced in the Moluccas and in 
Sumatra. Borneo does not seem to produce very much. 
Indian elonies. — Gamble classifies the Indian ebonies as follows : 
(1) Heartwood wholly black or only slightly streaked: ebenum, tovientosa, 
melcmoxylon, assimilis. 
