Diospyros ferrea

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ferreola buxifolia
• Maba ferrea
• Ebenus nigrescens
• Maba buxifolia var. rhomboidea
• Ehretia ferrea
• Maba vacciniifolia
• Diospyros ferrea f. angustata
• Maba angustifolia
• Diospyros ferrea var. angustifolia
• Diospyros ferrea var. aroeensis
• Diospyros ferrea var. buxifolia
• Maba buxifolia
• Diospyros ferrea var. buxoides
• Maba cumingiana
• Diospyros ferrea var. ellipsoidea
• Maba papuana
• Diospyros ferrea f. globosa
• Maba nigrescens
• Diospyros ferrea var. guineensis
• Maba smeathmannii
• Diospyros ferrea var. indonesica
• Maba secundiflora
• Diospyros ferrea var. lamponga
• Maba lamponga
• Diospyros ferrea f. lamponga
• Maba guineensis
• Diospyros ferrea var. salomonensis
• Diospyros ferrea f. subelliptica
• Diospyros ferrea f. oblanceolata
• Diospyros ferrea f. oblonga
• Diospyros ferrea f. oblongata
• Diospyros ferrea f. obovata
• Diospyros nigrescens
• Ebenus lamponga
• Ebenoxylum verum
• Diospyros salomonensis
• Ferreola ebenus
• Ferreola guineensis
• Pisonia buxifolia

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Diospyros ferrea, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Ericales. Finally, it is a member of the family Ebenaceae and the genus Diospyros.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Diospyros ferrea, is primarily located within the West Tropical Africa region. Its natural habitat extends across several different nations, including Benin and Burkina. Furthermore, the species can be found growing in the landscapes of Ghana. It is also distributed throughout the territories of Guinea-Bissau and Guinea. Collectively, these locations define the specific geographical range of this medicinal species.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Diospyros ferrea is characterized by its ability to thrive in diverse and specialized environmental niches, ranging from coastal to inland landscapes. It is commonly found growing within thickets and forests situated on coral rag, where it must adapt to the rocky, alkaline, and often well-drained substrates of these formations. Beyond these coastal-influenced regions, the species also inhabits forest patches located on black cotton soil, indicating a capacity to tolerate heavy, clay-rich soils that undergo significant moisture fluctuations. Furthermore, its ecological range extends to riverine lakeside forests, where it occupies moist, riparian zones, demonstrating a versatile distribution pattern that spans from arid, rocky terrain to more humid, water-adjacent ecosystems.

Habitat :

thicket and forest on coral rag, also forest patches on black cotton soil and riverine lakeside forest

Life history

The life history of Diospyros ferrea is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist in its environment over many years. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated woody stems, a structural strategy that defines its physical presence within its ecosystem. While it exhibits the architectural complexity of a phanerophyte, it can also be categorized under the nanophanerophyte life form depending on the specific growth stage or environmental context. Furthermore, the species maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that its foliage remains functional throughout the seasons rather than shedding leaves annually.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Diospyros ferrica is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree that functions as a self-supporting organism. It is a terrestrial plant, meaning it does not inhabit aquatic or semiaquatic environments, nor does it act as an epiphyte. As an independent species, it does not exhibit parasitic behavior. In terms of stature, the plant displays significant variation in height, with individual specimens ranging from a minimum of approximately 1.52 m to a maximum of about 13.72 m, maintaining an average plant height of roughly 8.33 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

13.71616679 m

Plant height mean:

8.33333333333333 m

Plant height min:

1.524018532 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Diospyros ferrea is characterized by complex metabolic processes centered on its role as a slow-growing, woody perennial. Its physiological framework is primarily defined by its photosynthetic efficiency and carbon sequestration capabilities, which support the development of dense, durable tissues. In terms of nutrient cycling, the plant does not engage in symbiotic nitrogen fixation; it is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized root nodules required to host diazotrophic bacteria for atmospheric nitrogen conversion. Consequently, its physiological survival and growth rates are heavily dependent on the availability of inorganic nitrogen, such as nitrates and ammonium, within the soil substrate. The plant's water relations and transpiration rates are adapted to its specific ecological niche, utilizing regulated stomatal conductance to balance gas exchange for photosynthesis with the prevention of excessive desiccation. Its metabolic pathways are geared toward the synthesis of secondary metabolites, which contribute to its structural integrity and chemical defense mechanisms.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Diospyros ferrea is characterized by a specific phenological cycle and specialized dispersal mechanisms. The flowering period is relatively brief, typically beginning in February and concluding in March. The plant exhibits an absence of self-fertilization, necessitating cross-pollination to ensure reproductive success. Following fertilization, the plant produces fleshy fruits that vary in size, with a mean length of 1.05 cm, ranging from a minimum of 0.8 cm to a maximum of 1.3 cm. The seeds contained within these fruits are relatively small, possessing a mean mass of approximately 0.041655 g (with a range between 0.03139 g and 0.05192 g) and a consistent seed volume of 120 mm³. Dispersal of the seeds is achieved through a hydrochorous syndrome, meaning the seeds are primarily dispersed by water.

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Flowering time :

Feb

Flowering time :

Mar

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

1.3 cm

Fruit length mean:

1.05 cm

Fruit length min:

0.8 cm

Seed mass max:

0.05192 g

Seed mass mean:

0.041655 g

Seed mass min:

0.03139 g

Seed volume max:

120 mm³

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Diospyros ferrea 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 stem.

Stem

1. Phytochemistry

Chemicals

Diospyros ferrea has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Diospyrosonaphthoside, Diospyrosooleanolide, Diospyrososide, betulinic acid.

Diospyrosonaphthoside

1. Phytochemistry

Diospyrosooleanolide

1. Phytochemistry

Diospyrososide

1. Phytochemistry

betulinic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Diospyros ferrea has 18 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anthelmintic, AntiHIV, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Anticarcinomic.

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke

AntiHIV

1. Dr. Duke

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke

Anticarcinomic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiedemic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiinflammatory

1. Dr. Duke

Antileukemic

1. Dr. Duke

Antimalarial

1. Dr. Duke

Antimelanomic

1. Dr. Duke

Preparations

Diospyros ferrea has 1 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include ethanolic extract of stem bark.

Ethanolic extract of stem bark

1. Phytochemistry