Diospyros celebica
Diospyros celebica (commonly known as black ebony[2] or Makassar ebony) is a species of flowering tree in the family Ebenaceae that is endemic to the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. The common name Makassar ebony is for the main seaport on the island, Makassar.
| Diospyros celebica | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ebenaceae |
| Genus: | Diospyros |
| Species: | D. celebica |
| Binomial name | |
| Diospyros celebica | |
Makassar ebony wood is variegated, streaky brown and black, and nearly always wide-striped. It is considered a highly valuable wood for turnery, fine cabinet work, and joinery, and is much sought for posts (床柱 (tokobashira)[3]) in traditional Japanese houses. Japan used to be the main importer of this wood. It is also used as a wood in fingerboards for guitars and other related instruments.
The tree grows up to 20 m (66 ft) high under favourable circumstances, although such trees are rarely seen nowadays. Since Makassar ebony has been a woodworkers' favourite for centuries, most of it has been felled and used in high-quality furniture. The wood is often defective, showing cracks, and in particular heart shakes and splits. It is not easy to dry and is best given ample time for this. Converting logs into boards as soon as possible is recommended.
References
- World Conservation Monitoring Centre (1998). "Diospyros celebica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1998: e.T33203A9765120. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T33203A9765120.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- "Diospyros celebica". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
- "Search Key: とこばしら". WWWJDIC. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
External links
Media related to Diospyros celebica at Wikimedia Commons