Biology:Diospyros balsamifera

Short description: Species of tree

Diospyros balsamifera
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ebenaceae
Genus:	Diospyros
Species:	D. balsamifera
Binomial name
Diospyros balsamifera

Diospyros balsamifera is an extinct tree in the family Diospyros. There is mention of persimmon tree or shrub in ancient literature, including the Bible, that was the source of a rare and valuable perfume oil, thought to be either the Balm of Gilead, or an ingredient in its preparation. Historical records indicate that this persimmon, now believed to be extinct, was native to the Land of Israel, and was grown in the Jericho valley, and Ein Gedi, near the Dead Sea. It was extremely rare, even in biblical times, and was a symbol of the ancient world's aristocracy for more than 3500 years, and was the only component of the anointing oil used by Israel's Kings. It was renowned throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East for its exceptional fragrance as well as its medicinal benefits, but vanished from the world when Judah was destroyed.

In Literature

Distinguishing this fabled persimmon from other sources is confusing because there were multiple names as well as multiple distinct products that were referred to as balsam. The Bible, for example, uses various names including בֹּשֶׂם (bosem), בֶּשֶׂם (besem), צֳרִי (ẓori) or tseri (צְרִי), נׇטׇף (nataf), while the Mishna uses קׇטׇף (kataf), בַּלְסׇם (balsam), אַפּוֹבַּלְסַמוֹן (appobalsamon), and אֲפַרְסְמוֹן (afarsemon). One of these is certainly Commiphora gileadensis, perhaps what was called the Myrrh or Moor of Gilead, but the persimmon of antiquity has not yet been accounted for.

Some writers identify it as being the same species as that which produced the Balsam of Mecca. Theophrastus, in his Historia Plantarum wrote:

The Syrian valley is where the Balsam of Mecca grows. They claim that it only grows in two parks, one of which is around eight acres in size and the other a little bigger. The fruits are similar to that of the terebinth in size, form, and color, and this, too, is highly fragrant, in fact, more so than the gum; the tree is as tall as a good-sized pomegranate and is heavily branched; it has a leaf like that of rue, but it is pale; and it is evergreen.

Pliny, however, identifies three distinct species:

The first has thin, capillaceous leaves; the second is a crooked, scabrous shrub; and the third has a smooth rind and grows taller than the first two.

Pliny asserts that the persimmon balsam was a shrub, that closely resembled the grapevine in habit as well as in cultivation. He continues:

The plant is evergreen, but the leaves resemble those of the rue more closely. It doesn't rise higher than two cubits. Balsam trickles through tiny incisions made very carefully into the rind; these droplets are then gathered with wool into a horn and preserved in fresh earthen jars.

Theophrastus wrote that during harvest:

It starts out being pale and pellucid but later turns firmer and redder. That is regarded as the finest quality that develops prior to the fruit's outward appearance. The resin extracted from the seeds, rind, and even the stems is much inferior to this

A Fragrant Persimmon

Some question whether it is possible that a species in the Diospyros genus could be the source of a fragrant oil. Diospyros is, however, relatively diverse, with 735 species, with a broad history of cultivation both for food, as well as a variety of medical and ethnobotanical uses, producing a large range of molecular constituents.

Many of the genus are quite slow-growing, and produce extremely heavy, oily wood. Diospyros celebica (Macassar ebony) produces a fragrant oil (kayu hitam), formerly an ingredient in Macassar oil, but still used locally in Indonesia.