kaki persimmon

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• persimmon

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Embryopteris kaki
• Diospyros kaki var. costata
• Diospyros kaki var. mazelii
• Diospyros kaempferi
• Diospyros kaki var. sahuti
• Diospyros costata
• Diospyros kaki var. silvestris
• Diospyros argyi
• Diospyros kaki var. aurantium
• Diospyros kaki var. macrantha
• Diospyros kaki var. domestica
• Diospyros amara
• Diospyros kaki var. elliptica
• Diospyros kaki var. lycopersicon
• Diospyros mazelii
• Diospyros bertii
• Diospyros lycopersicon
• Diospyros wieseneri
• Diospyros schi-tse
• Diospyros roxburghii
• Diospyros trichocarpa
• Diospyros sphenophylla

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Diospyros kaki, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae and order Ericales, it is further categorized into the family Ebenaceae. Ultimately, it is placed under the genus Diospyros.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution spanning across several distinct regions. In Southeastern Europe, its presence can be noted specifically within Bulgaria. The species also extends into the Caucasus region, particularly throughout the Transcaucasus area. Within China, it is found across diverse territories including China North-Central and China South-Central. Furthermore, its range reaches the southern island province of Hainan.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Diospyros kaki is characterized by its specific preference for forest habitats, where it thrives within complex woodland ecosystems. This species occupies a highly specialized altitudinal niche, occurring within a narrow elevational range that is situated in high-altitude environments. Specifically, its distribution is confined to a precise band between a minimum elevation of 2200 m AMSL and a maximum elevation of 2300 m AMSL, indicating a specialized adaptation to the unique climatic and environmental conditions found at these upper montane levels.

Elevational range max:

2300 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

2200 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest

Life history

The life history of Diospyros kaki is characterized by its existence as a perennial plant, ensuring a long-term presence within its ecosystem. Functioning as a phanerophyte, it maintains its buds well above the ground level, which allows it to thrive in various environmental conditions. The plant exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its leaves seasonally as part of its natural growth cycle. Furthermore, its structural classification can be identified as a nanophanerophyte, reflecting its specific growth habit and architectural complexity throughout its lifespan.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Diospyros kaki is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, which is a self-supporting structure rather than a climber or liana. It functions as an independent organism, lacking any parasitic tendencies, and is strictly a terrestrial plant, neither aquatic nor epiphytic. In terms of its stature, the species typically reaches a mean plant height of 12 m, though it can attain a maximum height of up to 15 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15 m

Plant height mean:

12 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Diospyros kaki is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's vegetative structure features elliptic leaves with entire margins, and it does not possess leaf thorns or spines. In terms of structural integrity and biomass composition, the stem exhibits a specific density (SSD) of 716 mg/cm³. Additionally, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on the availability of nitrogen within the soil rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing mechanisms.

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf margin :

entire

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Stem specific density (SSD) mean:

716 mg/cm³

Reproduction

The reproduction of Diospyros kaki is characterized by a specific flowering cycle and complex seed characteristics. The flowering period typically begins in May and concludes within the same month, though timing can be variable across different environments. A significant reproductive trait of this species is that self-fertilization is absent, necessitating cross-pollination for successful fruit set. The resulting fruits are fleshy in nature, housing seeds with distinct physical properties. The seeds exhibit a mean mass of approximately 0.344573333 g, with individual seed masses ranging from a minimum of 0.2645 g to a maximum of 0.38462 g. In terms of dimensions, the seed volume is highly consistent, maintaining a mean, minimum, and maximum value of 410 mm³.

Flowering time :

May

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Seed mass max:

0.38462 g

Seed mass mean:

0.344573333 g

Seed mass min:

0.2645 g

Seed volume max:

410 mm³

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Diospyros kaki has 2 reported plant parts identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, fruit.

Leaf

1. Frontiers in chemistry
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
3. Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry

Fruit

1. Journal of medicinal food
2. Advances in pharmacological sciences

Chemicals

Diospyros kaki has 51 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, polyphenols, quercetin, 3alpha,19alpha-dihydroxyurs-12,20(30)-dien-24,28-dioic acid, 3alpha,19alpha-dihydroxyurs-12-en-24,28-dioic acid.

Flavonoids

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

polyphenols

1. Talanta
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

quercetin

1. Journal of separation science
2. Drug and chemical toxicology

3alpha,19alpha-dihydroxyurs-12,20(30)-dien-24,28-dioic acid

1. Journal of natural products

3alpha,19alpha-dihydroxyurs-12-en-24,28-dioic acid

1. Journal of natural products

ARABINOGALACTAN

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Aloe vera

1. PloS one

Astragalin

1. Drug and chemical toxicology

Betulin

1. Dr. Duke

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Frontiers in chemistry

Activities

Diospyros kaki has 32 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Antidiabetic.

Antioxidant

1. Journal of separation science
2. Journal of medicinal food
3. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology
4. Advances in pharmacological sciences

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of medicinal food
3. Frontiers in chemistry

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in chemistry
3. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology

Antimicrobial

1. Journal of medicinal food
2. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology
3. Natural product research

Antidiabetic

1. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology
2. Natural product research

Neuroprotective

1. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke

AntiHIV

1. Dr. Duke

Anticarcinomic

1. Dr. Duke

Antiedemic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Diospyros kaki has 28 reported investigations on conditions identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include oxidative stress, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, antidiabetic, apoptosis.

Oxidative stress

1. Journal of natural medicines
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. BioFactors (Oxford, England)

Cardiovascular disease

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Nutrients

Hypertension

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Drug and chemical toxicology

Antidiabetic

1. Natural product research

Apoptosis

1. Journal of natural medicines

Atherosclerosis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Breast cancer

1. BioFactors (Oxford, England)

Cerebral arteriosclerosis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cerebral infarction

1. Journal of natural medicines

Cerebral ischemia

1. Advances in pharmacological sciences

Preparations

Diospyros kaki has 5 reported preparations identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include "kaki-yô", Hexane extract, flavone from leaves of Diospyros kaki, n-BuOH extract, persimmon tannin.

"kaki-yô"

1. Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry

Hexane extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Flavone from leaves of diospyros kaki

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

N-buoh extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Persimmon tannin

1. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology