Common Persimmon

Common Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana/Ebenaceae). The genus Diospyros contains about 400 species (including ebony) mostly native to the tropics (Madagascar, Africa and Malaysia), with two native to the United States. The name diospyros is derived from the Greek, for the god Zeus or Jupiter and grain, alluding to the edible fruit or “fruit of the gods.” Common Persimmon is native North America, from Connecticut, New York and New Jersey west to Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas, south to Oklahoma and Texas, east to Florida including the Florida Keys.

Persimmon trees attain heights of 80 ft, with diameters of 2 ft. The tree grows well in disturbed areas and in mixed deciduous forests alongside Hickories, Oaks, Sycamore, Maples, Eastern Redcedar, Tulip Poplar and Elms. Persimmon sapwood is white to grayish brown, with a black to dark brown heartwood (like ebony) with streaks. The wood strong and stiff, heavy and hard and is hard to work with tools. The heartwood of Persimmon is very resistant to decay. It is used for billiard cues, bobbins, golf club heads, handles, parquet floors, shoe lasts, shuttles, spools, turnery and veneer.

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/TechSheets/HardwoodNA/pdf_files/diospyromet.pdf

Characteristics found in the Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana):

• Semi-ring porous
• Banded parenchyma (1)
• Simple perforations
• I/V pits minute (2-3)
• Rays 1-4 seriate & homocellular to heterocellular
• Crystals in rays and axial parenchyma

WOOD SLIDES
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CHARCOAL SLIDES