Bombay ebony facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bombay ebony |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Diospyros
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| Species: |
montana
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The Bombay ebony (scientific name: Diospyros montana) is a cool tree that belongs to the ebony family. It's a type of tree that loses its leaves every year, just like many trees do in autumn. This tree can grow quite tall, up to about 15 meters (that's like a five-story building!). You can find the Bombay ebony growing in many places, including the Western Ghats in India, Sri Lanka, parts of Indo-China, and even all the way to Australia.
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Meet the Bombay Ebony Tree!
The Bombay ebony is a special tree known for its interesting features. It's part of a big family of trees called Ebenaceae, which is famous for producing very dark, strong wood.
What is a Deciduous Tree?
A deciduous tree is a tree that sheds its leaves, usually once a year. This often happens in autumn or during a dry season. After losing its leaves, the tree rests for a while before new leaves grow back. This is different from evergreen trees, which keep their leaves all year round.
Where Does the Bombay Ebony Grow?
This tree loves warm places! It grows naturally in many parts of Asia and Australia. You can find it in:
- India, especially in the Western Ghats mountain range.
- Sri Lanka, an island country near India.
- Countries in Indo-China, like Vietnam and Thailand.
- And even in parts of Australia.
It likes areas where it can get plenty of sunshine and rain.
Why is it Called Ebony?
The name "ebony" comes from the very dark, dense wood that some trees in the Ebenaceae family produce. While not all trees in this family have the super dark wood that true ebony is famous for, they are all related. The Bombay ebony is sometimes called "mottled ebony" because its wood might have interesting patterns or colors.
Common Names for the Bombay Ebony
People in different places have different names for the Bombay ebony. Here are some of them:
- English: Mountain persimmon, mottled ebony
- Malayalam: Manjakara, Nanchimaram, Bali, Malayakathitholi
- Tamil: Karunthuvalisu, Vakanai, Vakkanatthi
- Other Indian languages: Bistendu, Jagalkanti, Manjakara, Bankini, Vakkanai, Malayakathitholi
- Vietnamese: thị da đen
- Thai: Tarn Dum, Tarn Sarn (ตานดำ, ตานส้าน)
