Diospyros melanoxylon

Botanical name– Diospyros melanoxylon

Common Name – Tendu / Coromandel Ebony

Habit-

• Deciduous
• Medium
• Slow growing

Specific properties

• Drought tolerant
• High degree of mortality mainly due to grazing, cutting, leaf plucking and fires

Ecology

• Fruit preferred by fruit bats and birds, notably hornbills
• Leaves and fruits are food for sloth bear, langurs
• Host plant for Baronet and Common Silverline butterflies

Uses

• Contributes to socio-economic livelihood of tribal people in India
• Fruit is consumed by tribes in different forms as pulp, paste, powder and fruit wine
• Leaves are used to create beedi, a traditional cigarette
• Leaves are used in treatment of scabies, old wounds, as laxative and against digestive problems
• Fruit is used in treating digestive disorders, urinary, skin and blood diseases
• Timber

Propagation

• Seeds