Diospyros ebenum - Ceylon Ebony, India Ebony Tree Seeds

Description

High-quality wood has always been in demand in human societies. It is loved and used extensively by those who can afford it. In Egypt, ebony was most likely used as early as 4500 years B.P. and later, the Roman Empire also developed a high demand for ebony wood. Much of this demand was satisfied by the Indian Diospyros species. The two ebony species mainly traded from India were D. melanoxylon and D. ebenum. However, the latter is the “only one giving a black wood without other streaks or markings …”. The wood was first brought to Rome around 2000 years ago and was traded with rulers of the Europe during the Renaissance. Around 400 years ago, the term “ebenist” was used for the finest carpenters of France. For millennia, ebony has been harvested in India so that by the time of the British arrival a large percentage of the ebony was already cut, mostly by using very destructive methods. Because of this, not much of the species was left on the subcontinent , and the still plentiful stocks in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) were the main source for the British of this much-in-demand wood. Some of these stocks remain today, even though they were heavily exploited. Despite the high value of the species and the potential that the species promises with scientific management, it does not receive much attention from the scientific world. The species is classified as endangered in Sri Lanka and its trade is banned in both India and Sri Lanka. However, in the course of the forest ecosystem restoration work in South India, the species is used and distributed.