The principal genus is Diospyros; which contains the Ebony-tree (D. Ebenum), the Date-plum or Lotus-tree (D. Lotos), both natives of the East Indies; and the Persimon (D. virginiana), a native of North America. The species are trees with hard dark wood; that of Ebony is quite black when old, and remarkably heavy. The flowers are white and inconspicuous, and the fruit, which is eatable, but insipid, is a berry, placed in the centre of the calyx, which spreads round it like a saucer. It is very harsh when first gathered, and must be kept till it is half decayed, like the Medlar, before it is eaten.
ORDER CXXIII.—BREXIEÆ.
Large stove trees, with axillary branches of white flowers.
ORDER CXXIV.—OLEINÆ.—(See Chap. VIII. P. [136].)
This order comprises the common Ash, the Manna Ash, the Olive, the Privet, the Fringe-tree, the Phillyrea, and the Lilac. The flowers of all have only two stamens, and a roundish two-celled ovary, without any disk. The flowers of the Ash have no corolla, and the fruit is a samara. In the other genera, the flowers are more or less funnel-shaped, and the fruit is a capsule. The leaves are generally pinnate, and always opposite. The seeds have a dense albumen.
ORDER CXXV.—JASMINEÆ.—(See Chap. VIII., P. [134].)