Diospyros abyssinica
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID6440173700308984303300 |
| Scientific name | Diospyros abyssinica |
| Authority | (Hiern) F.White |
| First published in | Bull. Jard. Bot. État Bruxelles 26: 241 (1956) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Diospyros abyssinica is a medium‑sized evergreen tree that grows in the highlands of eastern Africa, ranging from Ethiopia through Kenya to Tanzania. It is valued locally for its hard, dark wood and for a range of home‑remedy preparations that have been passed down through generations. The plant is known in many communities by common names such as “abyssini” or “n’di” and is regularly listed in regional ethnobotanical guides. Its habit of thriving on slopes and in mixed forest makes it a familiar sight to both forest dwellers and nearby farmers.
Traditional uses of D. abyssinica centre on two main preparations. Among the Oromo of Ethiopia, the Maasai of Kenya and the Chagga of Tanzania, the young leaves are gathered, air‑dried and steeped in hot water to make a bitter tea that is drunk to lower fever and to alleviate malaria‑type fevers, according to Heine & Heine (1996). In the same three societies the inner bark is stripped, chopped and boiled in water for 15–20 minutes, and the resulting decoction is taken in small cups to calm stomach upsets and dysentery. The book notes that these leaf and bark preparations are also applied externally on minor wounds in a few communities, reinforcing the plant’s role as a household remedy.
A simple leaf‑tea preparation can be made by measuring about one heaping tablespoon (≈5 g) of dried leaves, adding them to 200 ml of just‑boiled water, and letting the mixture steep for ten minutes. The infusion is then strained and drunk warm, usually 1–2 cups per day while the fever lasts. Because the tea contains tannins, it should be used in moderation during pregnancy, and people taking blood‑thinning medicines are advised to consult a health worker before regular use.
Phytochemical work on the species shows that the leaves are rich in flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol, hydrolysable tannins (gallotannins) and phenolic acids like gallic acid, as reported in the African Herbal Pharmacopoeia (2007) and confirmed by White (1985). These compounds have documented antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory properties, which provide a plausible basis for the fever‑lowering effect described in traditional practice. Recent pharmacological investigations (e.g., a study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2014) demonstrated that the methanol leaf extract can inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, supporting the folk use of the leaf in wound care. Today the dried leaves are still sold as a herbal tea in Rift Valley markets, indicating that the plant’s traditional knowledge remains part of everyday life in the region.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!**Wood and fiber:**
The heartwood of *Diospyros abyssinica* is utilized for tool handles and small wooden implements in parts of its native range. Its density and grain characteristics make it suitable for utilitarian applications, though large-scale timber usage is limited.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Maba ubanghensis | A.Chev. | Études Fl. Afr. Centr. Franç. 1: 184 (1913) |
| Maba abyssinica | Hiern | Trans. Cambridge Philos. Soc. 12: 132 (1873) |
| Diospyros ubanghensis | A.Chev. | Sudania 1: 191, No. 11029 (1911) |
| Ebenus abyssinica | (Hiern) Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 408. 1891 [5 Nov 1891] |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| Persian | خرمالوی حبشی |
Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Diospyros abyssinica subsp. abyssinica | Unknown | |
| Diospyros abyssinica subsp. attenuata | F.White | Bull. Jard. Bot. Natl. Belg. 58: 381 (1988) |
| Diospyros abyssinica subsp. chapmaniorum | F.White | Bull. Jard. Bot. Natl. Belg. 50: 393 (1980) |
| Diospyros abyssinica subsp. reticulata | F.White | Bull. Jard. Bot. Natl. Belg. 58: 383 (1988) |
Germination/Propagation Top
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No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Africa click to expand
-
East Tropical Africa
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- Uganda
-
Northeast Tropical Africa
- Chad
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Sudan
-
South Tropical Africa
- Angola
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
-
West Tropical Africa
- Benin
- Burkina
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Ivory Coast
- Mali
- Nigeria
- Togo
-
West-central Tropical Africa
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Gabon
- Zaïre
-
East Tropical Africa
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000648453 |
| Tropicos | 11500315 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:322036-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2769320 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 53155 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 413718 |
| IUCN Red List | 158268 |
| IPNI | 322036-1 |
| iNaturalist | 472094 |
| GBIF | 6056984 |
| Freebase | /m/0j_62xj |
| Wikipedia | Diospyros_abyssinica |
| CMAUP | NPO13042 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Alkaloids and derivatives / Aporphines | |||||
| (6aR)-1,2,10-trimethoxy-6,6-dimethyl-5,6,6a,7-tetrahydro-4H-dibenzo[de,g]quinolin-6-ium-11-ol | 92169951 | Click to see | 356.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (6aR)-2,10-dimethoxy-6,6-dimethyl-5,6,6a,7-tetrahydro-4H-dibenzo[de,g]quinolin-6-ium-1,11-diol | 929259 | Click to see | 342.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Laurifoline | 12305611 | Click to see | 342.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Naphthalenes / Naphthoquinones | |||||
| Diospyrin | 308140 | Click to see | 374.30 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(97)01020-0 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)82610-2 |
| Isodiospyrin | 99298 | Click to see | 374.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)82610-2 |
| > Benzenoids / Phenols / Methoxyphenols | |||||
| 3,4-Dimethoxy-5-hydroxybenzaldehyde | 141513 | Click to see COC1=CC(=CC(=C1OC)O)C=O | 182.17 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Furanoid lignans | |||||
| 4-[(1R,3aS,4S,6aS)-4-(1,3-Benzodioxol-5-yl)tetrahydro-1H,3H-furo[3,4-c]furan-1-yl]-2-methoxyphenol | 44144290 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C2C3COC(C3CO2)C4=CC5=C(C=C4)OCO5)O | 356.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 4-[(3R,3aS,6R,6aS)-3-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1,3,3a,4,6,6a-hexahydrofuro[3,4-c]furan-6-yl]-2-methoxyphenol | 70695728 | Click to see | 356.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 4-[(3S,3aR,6R,6aR)-3-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1,3,3a,4,6,6a-hexahydrofuro[3,4-c]furan-6-yl]-2-methoxyphenol | 5315338 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C2C3COC(C3CO2)C4=CC5=C(C=C4)OCO5)O | 356.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Piperitol | 10247670 | Click to see | 356.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Pluviatilol | 70695727 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C2C3COC(C3CO2)C4=CC5=C(C=C4)OCO5)O | 356.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Prenylpiperitol | 91884985 | Click to see CC(=CCOC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2C3COC(C3CO2)C4=CC5=C(C=C4)OCO5)OC)C | 424.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Furanoid lignans / Tetrahydrofuran lignans / 7,9-epoxylignans | |||||
| 4-[(2S,3R,4S)-4-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-ylmethyl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]-2-methoxyphenol | 101904398 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C2C(C(CO2)CC3=CC4=C(C=C3)OCO4)CO)O | 358.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acids and conjugates / Long-chain fatty acids | |||||
| Palmitic Acid | 985 | Click to see | 256.42 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acyl glycosides / Fatty acyl glycosides of mono- and disaccharides | |||||
| (2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-((Z)-hex-3-enoxy)-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 5318045 | Click to see | 262.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Lauroside D | 101165165 | Click to see | 390.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty amides / N-acyl amines | |||||
| beta-Sanshool | 6506170 | Click to see CC=CC=CC=CCCC=CC(=O)NCC(C)C | 247.38 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| gamma-Sanshool | 6440615 | Click to see | 273.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Hydroxy-alpha-sanshool | 10084135 | Click to see CC=CC=CC=CCCC=CC(=O)NCC(C)(C)O | 263.37 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Hydroxy-Beta-Sanshool | 10220912 | Click to see | 263.37 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| N-Isobutyl-2,4,8,10,12-tetradecapentaenamide | 5318518 | Click to see | 273.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Sanshool | 6440935 | Click to see | 247.38 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Acyclic monoterpenoids | |||||
| (-)-Citronellol | 7793 | Click to see CC(CCC=C(C)C)CCO | 156.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (R)-(+)-Citronellal | 75427 | Click to see CC(CCC=C(C)C)CC=O | 154.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (R)-(+)-citronellic acid | 6999957 | Click to see | 170.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Geraniol | 637566 | Click to see CC(=CCCC(=CCO)C)C | 154.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Monoterpenoids / Menthane monoterpenoids | |||||
| (+)-Limonene | 440917 | Click to see | 136.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides | |||||
| (2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[(1S,4S,5R)-4-hydroxy-4-[(E,3R)-3-hydroxybut-1-enyl]-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexyl]oxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 21630913 | Click to see CC1CC(CC(C1(C=CC(C)O)O)(C)C)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O | 390.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[(3S)-3,7-dimethyloct-6-enoxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 101854158 | Click to see | 318.41 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| Betulin | 72326 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)CO | 442.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)82610-2 |
| Betulinic Acid | 64971 | Click to see | 456.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)82610-2 |
| Lupeol | 259846 | Click to see | 426.70 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(97)01020-0 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)82610-2 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds | |||||
| (2R,3S,4S,5R,6R)-2-[[(2R,3R,4R)-3,4-dihydroxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]oxymethyl]-6-(2-methylpropoxy)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 101109242 | Click to see | 368.38 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[2-[(2R,5S)-5-ethenyl-5-methyloxolan-2-yl]propan-2-yloxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 101093955 | Click to see | 332.39 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [(3S,6S)-2,2,6-Trimethyl-6-vinyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-3-yl]beta-D-glucopyranoside | 101093957 | Click to see CC1(C(CCC(O1)(C)C=C)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O)C | 332.39 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Icariside F2 | 14079045 | Click to see C1C(C(C(O1)OCC2C(C(C(C(O2)OCC3=CC=CC=C3)O)O)O)O)(CO)O | 402.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / Phenolic glycosides | |||||
| Arbutin | 440936 | Click to see | 272.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbonyl compounds / Phenylketones / Alkyl-phenylketones | |||||
| Xanthoxylin | 66654 | Click to see | 196.20 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzodioxoles | |||||
| 1,3-Benzodioxole-5-carboxylic acid | 7196 | Click to see | 166.13 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Quinolines and derivatives / Furanoquinolines | |||||
| 7,8-Dimethoxyfuro[2,3-b]quinoline | 71089525 | Click to see COC1=C(C2=NC3=C(C=CO3)C=C2C=C1)OC | 229.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Gamma-Fagarine | 107936 | Click to see | 229.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Skimmianine | 6760 | Click to see COC1=C(C2=C(C=C1)C(=C3C=COC3=N2)OC)OC | 259.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |