Diospyros abyssinica (Hiern) F.White

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/158268/769642

Conservation

LC - least concern

Ebenaceae, F. White. Flora Zambesiaca 7:1. 1983

Morphology General Habit

Small, medium–sized or large tree up to 36 m. high, but sometimes flowering as a shrub 2 m. high.

Morphology Bole

Bole long, straight, slender.

Morphology General Bark

Bark dark grey or blackish, rough, reticulate and exfoliating on old trees.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves subcoriaceous, drying grey–green or blackish; lamina 3 x 1·2–12 x 4 cm., elliptic, oblanceolate–elliptic or lanceolate–elliptic, apex obtuse to shortly and bluntly subacuminate, rarely distinctly acuminate; lower surface glabrescent; lateral nerves in 5–12 pairs; venation prominent and closely reticulate on both surfaces.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Male floiaers axillary and ramuligerous, in contracted 1018–flowered cymes; peduncle 0·1 cm. long; pedicels 0–1 cm. long, fulvous–setulose. Female flowers axillary or ramuligerous, in (1–2) 3–5(8)–flowered fascicles; pedicels 0·2 cm. long, fulvous–setulose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 0·2 cm. long, shallowly cyathiform, with 3–4 short, broadly deltate lobes, glabrous outside except for a few minute marginal hairs, glabrous inside. Calyx 0·6 cm. long, cyathiform, glabrous outside, finely strigulose towards the base inside, divided almost to the base; lobes 3–4 up to 0·6 x 0·6 cm., suborbicular, sometimes apiculate, strongly imbricate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 0·5–0·6 cm. long, sub–rotate, glabrous; tube 0·15 cm. long; lobes 3–4, 0·45 x 0·3 cm., broadly elliptic, apex obtuse. Corolla slightly shorter than the calyx, otherwise as in male.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 10–15, 0·2–0·4 cm. long; anthers lanceolate–apiculate, sparsely setulose towards the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistillodes

Pistillode 0·1 cm. long or absent, glabrous.

sex Male

Pistillode 0·1 cm. long or absent, glabrous. Corolla 0·5–0·6 cm. long, sub–rotate, glabrous; tube 0·15 cm. long; lobes 3–4, 0·45 x 0·3 cm., broadly elliptic, apex obtuse. Stamens 10–15, 0·2–0·4 cm. long; anthers lanceolate–apiculate, sparsely setulose towards the apex. Male floiaers axillary and ramuligerous, in contracted 1018–flowered cymes; peduncle 0·1 cm. long; pedicels 0–1 cm. long, fulvous–setulose. Calyx 0·2 cm. long, shallowly cyathiform, with 3–4 short, broadly deltate lobes, glabrous outside except for a few minute marginal hairs, glabrous inside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Staminodes

Staminodes 3–4 glabrous, 0–2 cm. long, filiform, exserted, attached to the throat of the corolla and alternating with the lobes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 0–4 x 0–2 cm., conoidal, glabrous, gradually merging into the short undivided style; locules 6, uniovulate; stigmatic lobes, 3, about 0·1 cm. long, ascending.

sex Female

Ovary 0–4 x 0–2 cm., conoidal, glabrous, gradually merging into the short undivided style; locules 6, uniovulate; stigmatic lobes, 3, about 0·1 cm. long, ascending. Corolla slightly shorter than the calyx, otherwise as in male. Staminodes 3–4 glabrous, 0–2 cm. long, filiform, exserted, attached to the throat of the corolla and alternating with the lobes. Female flowers axillary or ramuligerous, in (1–2) 3–5(8)–flowered fascicles; pedicels 0·2 cm. long, fulvous–setulose. Calyx 0·6 cm. long, cyathiform, glabrous outside, finely strigulose towards the base inside, divided almost to the base; lobes 3–4 up to 0·6 x 0·6 cm., suborbicular, sometimes apiculate, strongly imbricate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed(s) 1 (very rarely 2), 0·9 x 0·6 cm., globose to sub–ellipsoid, black; endosperm smooth.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruiting calyx scarcely accrescent, c. 0·7 cm. long, becoming patelliform. Fruit up to 1·4 x 0·9 cm., glabrous, ellipsoid or subglobose, style persistent.

Note

D. abyssinica, which is widespread in tropical Africa, is moderately variable in leaf–shape and size. This variation is too diffuse to justify the recognition of infra–specific taxa except for subsp. chapmaniorum, a consistently small–leaved variant in Malawi and adjacent parts of Zambia and Mozambique.

Ebenaceae, F. White. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit

Medium-sized evergreen forest tree, to 90 (-120) ft. high

Morphology Trunk

Long straight slender bole and small dense crown

Morphology General Bark

Bark thin, dark, rough, reticulate and scaling on old trees

Morphology Trunk Slash

Slash black outside, bright yellow inside

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers cream

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit black.

Ebenaceae, F. White & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1996

Morphology General Habit

Small to large evergreen tree 5-36 m. tall but sometimes flowering as a shrub only 2-3 m. tall; bole long, clean, straight and slender; bark dark grey or blackish, rough, reticulate, scaling off in narrow fibrous strips or oblong plates; blaze bright yellow or amber; wood white, the heartwood with black streaks.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves drying grey-green or blackish, elliptic, oblong, oblanceolate-elliptic or lanceolate-elliptic, 3-15.5 cm. long, 1.2-5.4 cm. wide, obtuse to shortly and bluntly subacuminate or less often distinctly acuminate at the apex, rounded to cuneate at the base, subcoriaceous, glabrescent on lower surface or strigulose on midrib; lateral nerves in 5-12 pairs, the venation ± prominent and closely reticulate on both surfaces; petiole 4-8 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Male flowers peach-scented, 10-18 in contracted cymes, axillary or borne on branchlets; peduncle 1 mm. long; pedicels 1 mm. long, fulvous setulose; calyx shallowly cyathiform, 2 mm. long; calyx-lobes 3-4, broadly triangular, glabrous outside except for a few minute marginal hairs, glabrous inside; corolla cream, subrotate, 5-6 mm. long, glabrous; corolla-tube 1.5 mm. long; corolla-lobes 3-4, broadly elliptic, 4-5 mm. long, 3 mm. wide, obtuse at the apex; stamens 10-15, 2-4 mm. long; anthers lanceolate-apiculate, sparsely setulose towards the apex; rudimentary ovary 1 mm. long, glabrous, sometimes absent. Female flowers (1-)3-5(-8) in axillary or ramuligerous fascicles; pedicels 2 mm. long, fulvous-setulose; calyx cyathiform, 6 mm. long, glabrous outside, finely strigulose towards the base inside, divided almost to the base; calyx-lobes 3-4, strongly imbricate, ± round, 6 mm. long and wide, sometimes apiculate; corolla similar to that of male, slightly shorter than the calyx; staminodes 3-4, filiform, 2 mm. long, glabrous, attached to the corolla-throat and alternating with the lobes, exserted; ovary conical, 4 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, glabrous, gradually merging into the short undivided style; locules 6, uniovulate; stigmatic lobes 3, ± 1 mm. long, ascending.

sex Male

Male flowers peach-scented, 10-18 in contracted cymes, axillary or borne on branchlets; peduncle 1 mm. long; pedicels 1 mm. long, fulvous setulose; calyx shallowly cyathiform, 2 mm. long; calyx-lobes 3-4, broadly triangular, glabrous outside except for a few minute marginal hairs, glabrous inside; corolla cream, subrotate, 5-6 mm. long, glabrous; corolla-tube 1.5 mm. long; corolla-lobes 3-4, broadly elliptic, 4-5 mm. long, 3 mm. wide, obtuse at the apex; stamens 10-15, 2-4 mm. long; anthers lanceolate-apiculate, sparsely setulose towards the apex; rudimentary ovary 1 mm. long, glabrous, sometimes absent.

sex Female

Female flowers (1-)3-5(-8) in axillary or ramuligerous fascicles; pedicels 2 mm. long, fulvous-setulose; calyx cyathiform, 6 mm. long, glabrous outside, finely strigulose towards the base inside, divided almost to the base; calyx-lobes 3-4, strongly imbricate, ± round, 6 mm. long and wide, sometimes apiculate; corolla similar to that of male, slightly shorter than the calyx; staminodes 3-4, filiform, 2 mm. long, glabrous, attached to the corolla-throat and alternating with the lobes, exserted; ovary conical, 4 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, glabrous, gradually merging into the short undivided style; locules 6, uniovulate; stigmatic lobes 3, ± 1 mm. long, ascending.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit orange or yellow (red fide Dummer), ellipsoid or subglobose, 0.8-1.4 cm. long, 8-9 mm. wide, glabrous, with persistent style; calyx scarcely accrescent, becoming patelliform, 7 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds black, 1 (very rarely 2), globose to subellipsoid; endosperm smooth.