 It is also known as Macassar ebony or variegated ebony and is closely related to genuine ebony, but is obtained from different species in the same genus; one of these is "Diospyros quaesita" Thwaites, from Sri Lanka.The name "calamander" comes from the local Sinhalese name, "kalu-medhiriya", which means dark chamber, referring to the characteristic ebony black wood.It is used in furniture, luthiery and for sculpture.