Diospyros leucomelas

Diospyros leucomelas (marble ebony, bois d'ebene marbre or bois d'ebene a veines) is a species of tree endemic to Mauritius.

Diospyros leucomelas
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ebenaceae
Genus: Diospyros
Species:
D. leucomelas
Binomial name
Diospyros leucomelas
Poir.

Description

This low, multi-stemmed tree species resembles the related species Diospyros egrettarum (and less so Diospyros revaughanii) in its dark, rectangular, leathery leaves, rounded leaf-base, very short petiole, and short fruits.

Diospyros leucomelas can be distinguished by the red midribs of its leaves though, which remain into adulthood and become especially prominent on the leaf undersides.[1]

Distribution and habitat

Like Diospyros egrettarum, it occurred in coastal and dry forest, all around Mauritius, and was especially common along the eastern coast. In fact, these two species were the only two primarily coastal or lowland species of Ebony in Mauritius. However D.leucomelas usually grew at mid altitudes, slightly further from the coast than its close relative.[2]

Currently D.leucomelas can still be found on the south-west of Mauritius, as well as in some of the mountainous areas in the east.[3]

References
  1. http://forestry.govmu.org/English/Pages/List-of-Indigenous-Plants.aspx
  2. J. Bosser, T. Cadet, H. Julien and J Marais: Flore des Mascareignes. The Sugar Research Institute, Mauritius, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 1976.
  3. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/30524/9559781


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