Melanoxylon

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Ebony \Eb"on*y\, n.; pl. {Ebonies}. [F. ['e]b[`e]ne, L. ebenus,
     fr. Gr. ?; prob. of Semitic origin; cf. Heb. hobn[imac]m, pl.
     Cf. {Ebon}.]
     A hard, heavy, and durable wood, which admits of a fine
     polish or gloss. The usual color is black, but it also occurs
     red or green.


     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The finest black ebony is the heartwood of {Diospyros
           reticulata}, of the Mauritius. Other species of the
           same genus ({D. Ebenum}, {Melanoxylon}, etc.), furnish
           the ebony of the East Indies and Ceylon. The West
           Indian green ebony is from a leguminous tree ({Brya
           Ebenus}), and from the {Exc[ae]caria glandulosa}.
           [1913 Webster]