Diospyros discolor nom. illeg.

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• mabola-tree
• velvet persimmon
• velvet-apple
• Butter Fruit
• Kamagong

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cavanillea mabolo
• Diospyros utilis
• Diospyros merrillii
• Diospyros malacapai
• Diospyros durionoides
• Embryopteris discolor
• Mabola edulis
• Cavanillea philippensis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Ericales, it is classified in the family Ebenaceae. Specifically, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Diospyros.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several key regions in Asia. In Eastern Asia, its presence is noted within the territory of Taiwan. Moving toward the Indian Subcontinent, it can be found growing in both India and Bangladesh. The species also extends into the Indo-China region, specifically occupying the Andaman Islands. Finally, its range reaches the Nicobar Islands, completing its spread across these maritime areas.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Diospyros blancoi is characterized by its ability to inhabit a broad vertical gradient within its native habitat, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1500 m AMSL. This wide elevational range suggests a high degree of ecological plasticity, allowing the species to colonize diverse environmental niches from lowland coastal regions to higher montane zones. By occupying this span of 0 to 1500 m AMSL, the plant encounters varying microclimates, including fluctuations in temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure, which influences its distribution patterns across different forest strata and topographical settings.

Elevational range max:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Diospyros blancoi is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated branches, a structural strategy that ensures its survival and growth over a long temporal scale. Its physiological nature is defined by its evergreen deciduousness, meaning it retains its foliage throughout the year rather than shedding it seasonally, which provides a continuous capacity for energy production. This combination of a long-lived lifecycle, an elevated growth form, and a constant presence of leaves defines its ecological presence and developmental strategy.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Diospyros blancoi is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically developing as a self-supporting tree. It reaches a typical mean plant height of approximately 10 m. As a terrestrial species, it does not exhibit aquatic or semiaquatic tendencies, nor does it function as an epiphyte, maintaining a strictly terrestrial existence. The plant is an independent organism, lacking any parasitic behavior, and is characterized by its sturdy, self-supporting structure rather than a climbing or liana-like habit.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

10 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Diospyros blancoi is characterized by a standard C3 photosynthetic pathway, utilizing the Calvin cycle to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide through the enzyme Rubisco, which is typical for most woody dicotyledonous species. In terms of nutrient cycling and symbiotic relationships, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized root nodules containing diazotrophic bacteria necessary to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil substrate.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

Reproduction in Diospyros blancoi is characterized by a specialized flowering process that facilitates genetic diversity through the exclusion of certain reproductive mechanisms. In this species, self-fertilization is notably absent, meaning the plant does not rely on its own pollen to produce viable seeds. Instead, the reproductive cycle depends on cross-pollination, which necessitates the movement of pollen between different individual plants to achieve fertilization. This absence of self-fertilization ensures a higher degree of heterozygosity within the population, contributing to the evolutionary resilience and genetic variability of the species.

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Diospyros blancoi has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Fitoterapia

Chemicals

Diospyros blancoi has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Saponins, Tannins.

Flavonoids

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Saponins

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Tannins

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Activities

Diospyros blancoi has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial.

Antibacterial

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Conditions

Diospyros blancoi has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include dental caries.

Dental caries

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Preparations

Diospyros blancoi has 2 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include ethanol extracts of leaves, extracts.

Ethanol extracts of leaves

1. Fitoterapia

Extracts

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)