Brya ebenus (L.) DC.

Jamaican ebony, Jamaican rain tree, ebony coccuswood

Jamaican rain tree is so named because it produces beautiful yellow flowers almost immediatley after a rain, or during periods of high humidity. It is a rare native of the Caribbean, including Cuba; also Central America. Plants are drought-tolerant, growing in scrublands. It is cultivated as bonsai, and its dense wood is prized for flute-making. Also called Jamaican ebony, this isn’t “real” ebony at all. Species of ebony include Diospyros ebenum (Ceylon ebony), native to southern India and Sri Lanka; D. crassiflora (Gabon ebony), native to western Africa; and D. celebica (Makassar ebony), native to Indonesia and prized for its luxuriant, multi-colored wood grain. Mauritius ebony, D. tesselaria, was exploited by the Dutch in the 17th century. Some species in the genus Diospyros yield an ebony with similar physical properties, but striped rather than evenly black (Diospyros ebenum). See also Texas ebony, another species popular for bonsai.

Plants: Small spiny trees are up to 20–30′ (6.1–9.1 m) in height.

Leaves: Small, waxy evergreen 2-3 parted compound leaves often appear to be simple. Leaves are alternate, odd-pinnate, arched densely on spurs from the main stem. The thorny branches are shaped like a fountain.

Flowers: Flowers are yellow, and like other members of the pea famiy, have bilateral symmetry. Said to appear shortly after rains, there is evidence that nitrogen fixation by lightning is the triggering event.

Fruits: Single-seeded dehiscent pods ⅜″ (1 cm) long.

Habitats: These Caribbean natives grow in scrublands.

Medical: Can cause skin and eye allergies.

Online References:

Brya ebenus description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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