Bristlefruit diospyros
Diospyros vera

Family: Ebenaceae

What it is like

A small tree. It grows 8-12 m high. The trunk is slender. The bark is cracked into small squares. The branches are crooked and twisted. The leaves are simple and alternate. They are 3-11 cm long by 2-7 cm wide. The leaves are small and oval. They are yellow-green. They have small black dots underneath. The flowers are yellow to orange. Male and female flowers are on separate trees. The female flowers are small and white. They are like tubes 0.5 cm long. They are in the axils of leaves and occur singly. The male flowers are yellow and are in clusters in the axils of leaves. The fruit is yellow to orange. They become soft and fleshy when ripe. The fruit is an oval berry 1.5 cm long by 1 cm wide. The seed is large. The edible pulp is small. Young fruit are green. There can be 1-3 seeds or more. The fruit is a smooth round berry. It is 1-1.5 cm across. It is yellow turning red when ripe. There are 1-4 brown seeds. The fruit are edible.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands. It grows in the tropics in drier sites in closed forest. It grows along river banks and on the edges of mangroves. It grows in light sandy and stony clay soils. It grows from sea level to 500 m altitude in Taiwan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, China, East Africa, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Northeastern India, Pacific, Philippines, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Africa, Yap, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit that have turned deep orange-red are sweet and edible.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. Cuttings will grow with difficulty.

Its other names

Local names

Angaru, Bibisan, Cinnavullinji, Erimbellie kai, Goakuli, Gourokholi, Guakuli, Iron tree, Irumballi, Kai mot, Karoki, Karugana, Kayu arang, Khi nou, Kuruvinci, Meribut, Mluhi, Mtitu, Native ebony, Piccane, Pishanna, Pisinika, Pitonu, Pohon eben bibisan, Queensland ebony, Scaly ebony, Sea ebony, Secherek laut, Xiang ya shu

Synonyms

Diospyros buxifolia Thouars; Diospyros compacta (R. Br.) Kosterm.; Diospyros egbert-walkeri Kosterm.; Diospyros ferrea (Willd.) Bakh.; Diospyros ferrea Bakhuizen; Diospyros ferrea (Willd.) Bakh. var. buxifolia (Rottb.) Bakh.; Diospyros geminata (R. Br.) F. Muell.; Ehretia ferrea Willd.; Maba buxifolia Pers.; Maba buxifolia (Rotb.) Jusseiu; Maba ferrea (Willd.) Aubr.; Pisonia buxifolia Rottb.; and many others