Coromandel Ebony
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| Diospyros melanoxylon Hassk. |
Coromandel Ebony (Diospyros melanoxylon), also known as East Indian Ebony, or Tendu in Hindi, is a member of the genus Diospyros and one of the plants commonly known as ebony.
Its leaves are widely used in India for the manufacture of bidis, or hand-rolled tobacco cigarettes.
Coromandel ebony wood is variegated brown and black (some people call this 'streaky'). It is considered a highly valuable wood for turnery, fine cabinet work and joinery and is also excellent for best quality carving.
The tree grows to some 20 metres under favourable circumstances, although such trees are rarely seen nowadays. Since Coromandel ebony has been a favourite woodworkers' wood for centuries, most of it has been felled and used in high quality furniture. However, some trees can still be found and the wood is still being used on a small scale. The wood is often defective, showing cracks, and in particular heart shakes and splits. It is not easy to dry and is best given ample time for this. Converting logs into boards as soon as possible is recommended. The natural area of distribution is thought to be the island of SriLanka and the southern Indian coastal regions (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry); it also is said to occur in the southern part of the West Ghats mountains in Kerala and Tamil Nadu states.
When being worked, the wood gives off a dusty smell, rather unlike the iodine smell given off by 'true' ebony, Diospyros ebenum, that occurs in the same region.
In the past, Coromandel and other species of Diospyros were much used in shipbuilding; however, in view of the rarity of ebony species in general, and high demand for other uses, this is no longer the case. [1]
