CHAPTER IX. The Nigerian Timber Trees

THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES

INDIGENOUS TREES OF NIGERIA

B. SOUTHERN PROVINCES.

=Palmæ.=

Raphia Hookeriana. Hooker’s Palm or the Piassava Palm. Aiko (Yoruba); Iya (Efik); Angor (Benin); Ori (Oban, Ekoi).

It is found chiefly in the Calabar, Warri, and Ondo provinces of Nigeria, mixed with R. vinifera at the edges of estuaries and rivers in the evergreen forest zone.

One of the main differences between this palm and R. vinifera is that the fruit is much shorter (at the most 1½ inches long and ¾ inch in diameter) and more stumpy in shape, coming abruptly to a point at the tip. R. vinifera, on the other hand, is much longer, reaching 2½ to 3 inches in length and ¾ inch to an inch in diameter, and it is very elliptical in shape. The bunches of fruit of this palm, R. Hookeriana, are much smaller, rarely exceeding more than a foot in length, and containing 50 to 75 nuts, whereas R. vinifera may have bunches 3 feet long, each containing 500 nuts or more. In the stem, too, this palm is smaller, often not reaching more than 6 to 9 inches in diameter, with a total height of 20 feet, whereas R. vinifera will reach over a foot in diameter and a total height of over 60 feet. The natural cleaning of the stem begins much later in this palm, and does not reach anything like the height of that of R. vinifera. In many specimens, in fact, the stem remains always more or less covered with the very upward tending branches. In this respect it reminds one a little of R. Ruffia. The leaves, however, are more similar to R. vinifera, but only about half the size, especially in length; they are not quite so wide, nor are the leaf stalks quite so large.

The timber is very similar, but more fibrous and of a looser texture than that of R. vinifera. It is a little easier to cut. In the older specimens the foliage still retains its dark green colour compared with the dry, yellowish hue which R. vinifera takes on as it gets older. It is a somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing tree. It likes a somewhat rich soil, but can, however, stand in water, and apparently withstands floods. Natural regeneration appears to be good.

The timber has not been cut for export nor for local use. The fronds are occasionally used for a similar purpose as that of R. vinifera, and sometimes the leaves also.

Native Use.—The fronds and leaves are used in a similar way to those of R. vinifera. The base of the leaf stalk is cut off into lengths up to 6 feet (it almost encircles the tree and extends much further up than in the case of R. vinifera) and laid in stagnant water. After the intervening substance between the fibres has got more or less soft and partly rotted away, the whole is taken out and the fibres cleaned with a kind of comb. These are then dried, and packed together in bundles of 20 pounds upwards, and sold to the European factory as Piassava. This industry is more widespread in the Eket district of the Calabar province, but it has taken a great number of years of thought and careful attention to bring it up to its present dimensions. The cutting of the leaves is undertaken mostly by the men and the rotting and cleaning of the fibre mostly by the women. Before the war Piassava fibre was rarely worth more than £28 per ton. It is now worth over £70. Unless, however, a price of at least £20 per ton is offered in Liverpool market for this fibre, it is doubtful if the industry can be made profitable for everyone concerned, producers included.

Raphia vinifera. The Palm Wine Tree, or Tombo Palm, or Bamboo, the last named being the name used by the English-speaking Jekris. Ako (Yoruba); Emmaha Augor (Benin); Oukot (Efik).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Warri, Owerri and Calabar provinces and the Colony of Nigeria, at the edges of the streams and rivers in the evergreen forest zone, where it grows in large groups and pure forests.

It is a medium-sized palm, growing separately with one stem, which clears itself of the leaf fronds for about half its height between the twelfth and fifteenth year. The trunk then is comparatively smooth, except for the very large scars of the leaf stalk. The fronds are the longest of any of the African palms, reaching sometimes a length of 40 feet, roughly sickle shaped; in section they reach about 2 inches diameter at the broadest part, and are a yellow-brown colour. The leaves come out from the stalk almost at a right angle, thus making them much wider and, owing to their greater length, much finer and heavier foliage than that of the Oil Palm, or even the Coconut Palm. In fact, an isolated specimen growing well could be not unfavourably compared to the Royal Palm in the grandeur of its spread of leaf and the beauty of the outward-spreading, fan-shaped bold crown. Both the male and the female flowers are very conspicuous. The bunches of fruit, up to 3 feet in length, hang down like enormous elongated bunches of yellow grapes. The nuts are covered with a smooth yellow hard skin, set in scales very similar to those of a cone, except that each scale is tightly joined to the next. When the fruit decays, or is boiled, the scales come off as well as the yellow, fibrous matter, which gives a yellowish tinge to the water. The main difference between the base of the Oil Palm and that of the leaf of this tree is the extension of it more than half round the bole in the case of R. vinifera, and also flatly and smoothly down the stem. On the other hand, in the Oil Palm the leaf grows more abruptly out of and away from the stem. Owing to the Tombo Palm stem being smaller (on the average only 9 inches in diameter), the base of the frond extends nearly all round the tree, the lower one overlapping the higher one, and each placed in revolving fashion round the trunk, one above the other. The leaf scars of the Oil Palm are much smaller. Owing to the greater length of the leaf of this palm, the crown does not appear to be such a tuft of leaves at the top of the tree as in the case of the Oil Palm. In old age it appears more as a cylindrical mass of leaves occupying the upper half or third of the tree.

The timber is more fibrous and soft than that of the Oil Palm. The fibres, however, are dark brown, almost black when very wet or after they have lain in water for any length of time.

On the whole the tree is slow-growing, even slower than the Oil Palm. It stands a good deal of shade in the earlier stages, but later on is apparently a light-demanding tree. It grows in freshwater swamps and at the edges of such places. Although it thrives best in certain localities, it can be planted and does grow on solid and comparatively dry land near Calabar. In the Calabar province they are often planted as an avenue leading up from the main road through the farm to the house. It will stand floods. Natural regeneration is good, and with the spread of propagation it tends to be more widely distributed. In the Calabar and Ogoja provinces seeds were distributed to the natives for planting for the production of palm wine to take the place of that obtained from the Oil Palm. The timber has not been used for export, nor has it been cut for local use. The leaf stalks, however, have been used for building labourers’ lines and in some European houses. In a similar way the leaves themselves have been used as a roofing material after being made up into small mats.

Native Use.—The tree is tapped near the base of the leading leaves, or at the base of the male inflorescence, for the production of the sap, which is collected in calabashes. These are placed in position every evening and emptied every morning, and replaced in position. Occasionally the chimpanzees climb up the palms, drink the wine in the calabash and replace it. A native once shot a chimpanzee, finding it was the thief of his palm wine and not a human being. The wine is of a white, sometimes almost creamy colour, and when fresh is quite thin and foamy. It has a rather pleasant, sweet, and almost sharp taste. After being kept a few days it begins to ferment, and even moderate quantities are intoxicating. Either fresh or fermented, it is sold in bottles or calabashes in the local markets. The supply scarcely, if ever, exceeds the demand. The natives often put pieces of the bark of Tala, Saccoglottis Gabunensis, in the wine to give it a more bitter taste. Occasionally also the bark of mahogany and other trees is used. Tala, however, is the correct bark to use, and it forms an article of local commerce for this purpose. Owing to the comparative inaccessibility of some of the “stands” of this tree away in the swampy regions near the estuaries of some of the larger rivers, such as the Benin and the Siluko, there are still vast areas where neither the leaves are cut nor the palms tapped for wine. The seeds are boiled and placed in the bottom of a canoe, and when sufficient canoes have been got together, each with its quota of boiled nuts, these are trodden with the feet of those in the canoe, and both the nuts and the scaly shell as well as the small amount of yellow flesh are thrown in the water of a half-stagnant river. This yellow substance partly blinds and stupefies the fish, the smaller ones of which come half floating and swimming to the surface, the larger ones being washed along near the bed of the river. These are caught in convenient places where the river has been staked all across its width and bamboo netting put down, except for an opening where a flexible net is used. Some of the people go about in small canoes, netting the fish that come to the surface. One of the most famous spots to see this is in the Osse River, in the reach just below Noami, where the combined fishery forces of the Jekris and, to a lesser extent, Sobos and Ijors, for a day or two in succession in April each year, carry on this work. The catch of fish obtained is enormous. Unless, however, it can be soon smoked and dried, much of it goes bad. This method of getting fish is also used by individual natives in stagnant backwaters of rivers and in isolated pools. The poison apparently does not spoil the taste or other quality of the fish. Occasionally this palm is also used for getting out the Piassava fibre, but it appears to be more difficult, and it is doubtful if it is as valuable as the fibre obtained from R. Hookeriana. Owing, however, to the fact that both species grow in the same locality and often quite mixed together, it is highly probable that part of the Piassava obtained is taken from this palm. In order to stimulate the flow of sap, a fire is often made at the base of the tree, which burns all the lower leaves and even part of the top, and thus induces an extra flow of sap, but of course to the detriment of a continual yield, as the tree subsequently dies.

In many parts of the country there is a regular local industry in the making of roofing mats from the leaves of this palm. The small ones, about 3 feet long, are, however, sold 25 for 3d. and the big ones, over 6 feet long, 25 for 6d. In some places they are cheaper. As a roofing material they are very durable, and will last at least seven years. If, however, they are put on very thickly, overlapping more than two-thirds of their width, and the roof is thoroughly smoked from the inside, it becomes nearly black, and will last fifteen years. For native houses it is one of the most used roofing materials, except in the Benin country, where the large Ewayon leaves are used. Roofing mats are, of course, being superseded by galvanized iron in the more civilized places. The leaf stalk is used both as a pole for pushing lighters or heavily laden canoes through comparatively shallow water, or as a boat-hook, or pushing and guiding pole for the smaller canoes in getting up swift, winding and comparatively narrow rivers.

Raphia Ruffia. Roofing Palm.

Chief Characteristics.—It does not form a proper stem, like other raphias; the long, thin leaves sprout out from the ground, and only when the tree is some years old is there any trace of a stem, which is quite short. The petioles are thin, compared to the length, and the leaflets are thin and narrow.

Distribution.—It is found in the Calabar and Ogoja Provinces of Nigeria. It is often planted near watercourses in damp valleys to provide roofing material for the natives, who make mats from the leaves (Ikom, Obubra districts).

Phœnix reclinata. Swamp Date Palm. Elekikobi (Yoruba); Ukukon (Benin).

A common tree of the Warri province of Nigeria. It is usually found in or at the edge of the mangrove swamp, where it appears to thrive. It is often rather bent in shape, and does not exceed 10 feet in height. It is usually partially gregarious, though the groups of this species are much smaller than those of P. spinosa. The natives in this locality scarcely use it at all. The fruit is rather smaller, and it bears in a less prolific manner than P. spinosa.

Phœnix spinosa. Wild Date Palm. Okun (Yoruba); Ukukon (Benin).

It is a common tree in the Ogoja, Benin, Ondo and Ibadan provinces of Nigeria. In appearance more like a very thin stemmed Oil Palm, on nearer approach the bluish-green, almost silvery, more open, shorter and rather sharply pointed fronds readily distinguish it from the Oil Palm group. The fruit is the shape of a very small date, many of which are borne on thin fibrous twigs of a very stout stalk. It is usually found in the open deciduous or savannah forest zone.

The natives use the stems for rafters and house-posts; the fruit and bark are used medicinally; and the leaves are used for making sieves, hats, mats and bags.

Calamus deerratus. Benin Cane or Rattan. Erogbo (Benin).

It is found in the Benin province of Nigeria. It is one of the rarer canes of the forest, has a yellow flower, and is found near Okenuhen. The canes are used for fences and house-building.

Eremospatha macrocarpa (Mann and Wenal). Small Benin Rattan. Ukan (Yoruba); Ikan (Benin).

It is found in the Benin, Calabar, Ondo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a common ½-inch thick cane, which attains a length of nearly 200 feet. It grows in clumps and climbs up over the surrounding trees. The fruit is yellow and rather like a small larch cone which has not opened. It is used for making rope and baskets, tying timber rafts, house-building, etc.; in fact, it is the best cane in West Africa.

Eremospatha sp. Large Benin Rattan. Okakan (Benin).

It is found in Ondo, Abeokuta, Benin, Warri, Brass, Owerri, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria.

It is a large creeper, nearly an inch in diameter and attaining a length of nearly 200 feet. It is usually found partly growing on other trees in more or less open places at the edge of the forest, near river banks, in the evergreen forest zone; it is also found at the edges of swamps in the same region. It often forms dense cane brakes. One of the most typical features of this cane is the reddish-orange cone-like fruit, which is borne in large clusters on the terminal shoot of the creeper.

The light-yellow, long spikes of the male flowers are most conspicuous early in the season, especially when seen from a canoe when passing down a river like the Osse.

The natives strip off the bark and long shoots of fish-hooklike spines, and use the comparatively smooth canes as supports for the canoe mats and for making tying material for house-building; it is also used for making rope. When whole, it is used in making bridges as well as for joining logs together for rafting purposes. When cut into short lengths and bent at one end, it can be used for walking-sticks.

It is rather a slow-growing creeper, and usually ten or twelve grow out of one root stock. In 1904 this cane was examined in England as a substitute for rattan, but it was found to be more brittle, and the internodes were found to be too close together to be attractive as walking-sticks. Still later, in 1908, it was tried for basket work, but was found to be too coarse both in structure and texture of grain.

Elæis Guineensis. The Oil Palm, the West African Palm. Ope, Ipa ukoro (Yoruba); Udin (Benin).

It is found in all the Southern Provinces of Nigeria and as far North as Zungeru, in the Northern Provinces. It belongs to the evergreen forest zone, though it will spread with cultivation into the mixed deciduous and dry zones.

It is the common palm of all the farms and forests of the moist and mixed zone of Nigeria. It bears a bunch of fruit containing as many as two thousand individual fruits in one drupe. In the drier parts there may be only as many as one hundred seeds. There is one forked palm on the right-hand side of the line about seven miles from Ibadan, just beyond Moor Plantation. This is a very rare occurrence, and I have only seen one in twelve years’ travelling in Nigeria. The male inflorescence is not unlike a very close horse’s tail, turned up on end. The orange-brown-coloured female flowers are very small, and do not last long (a few days). The male flowers always appear first, and above the female in each case. The natives say some trees only bear male flowers, but it is doubtful if this is ever true, except in very isolated cases. It bears fruit in the fifth year, and will go on for about a hundred years. There is a most marked difference in the height of a tree which has grown up in the “high forest” and one which has come up in an old farm, the former being fully 100 or even 150 feet high and the latter only 20 to 30 feet in height. In a similar way the bole of the forest-grown palm is only about 3 feet in girth, whereas the farm-grown palm may be over 6 feet in girth. It goes without saying that the latter bears larger bunches of fruit and the individual nuts are larger and also more numerous.

Between the twelfth and fifteenth year the tree begins to clear itself of the lower leaves, thus forming a clean bole up to the tuft of fronds at the top.

Owing to the fact that the bunches of fruit form in the axis of the leaf stalk, they are compressed very tightly, and thus ripen comparatively slowly. By cutting off the leaf immediately below the fruit, the ripening period is shortened by three weeks. This is, of course, partly due to the increased amount of light. Cutting leaves, however, above the fruit, or at all excessively in number, leads to a deceleration in growth, so that pruning should only be moderate. Both in the forest and in the open, epiphytic ferns, figs, and other plants grow amongst the leaves on the stem, and more especially later at the top of the tree. The trees are rarely, if ever, cleaned of these hindrances to healthy growth, but naturally they retard the flowering and ripening of the fruit. The leaves are also used for making brushes for sweeping the ground.

Native Use.—Oil is made from the pericarp of the fruit, and from the kernels, for rubbing on the skin. The leaf stalk is used for roof- poles.

Natural regeneration is good, although the Oil Palm thrives best in a deep, moist soil with considerable mineral content. It is, however, found growing amongst rocks on laterite and poor sandy land, and that in such case the rainfall is deficient, i.e. below 40 inches. A few small plantations have been made. It is noticeable that self-grown seedlings grow much slower than those transplanted. In the first year the self-sown seedlings grow only one pair of leaves, whereas those transplanted grow five or six in the same period. Apparently the Oil Palm does not thrive unless the soil is kept well covered and a good surface tilth maintained. With a planting distance of 20 to 24 feet there is considerable scope for the planting of other crops between. The chief difficulty appears to be to grow these at a profit without impoverishing the soil or hindering the quick development of the Oil Palm. On suitable soil the most profitable crops appear to be the following: ground-nuts, beans (three or four kinds), Egusi Bara, Citrullus vulgaris.

A fuller consideration of this subject, and the Oil Palm generally, will be found in the separate section about it.

Elæis Guineensis, var. Thompsonii. The Palm of Everlasting Life or King Palm. Eviromilla (Benin). This is the meaning according to the Benin name.

It is found in the Colony of Lagos, and Abeokuta and Benin provinces of Nigeria. On the whole, it is an uncommon tree, but there is no doubt of its being an indigenous tree to this part of Africa. The leaves are long and very compressed, being set at an acute angle to the leaf stalk and of smaller size than in any other species. It gives the palm almost the appearance of a Cycad. It also looks as if the leaves had closed up with the cold or were not fully developed. The leaves also are of a much darker green (almost olive-green) than the ordinary palm. Amongst the Benis it is considered the Sacred Oil Palm Tree, the nut obtained from it being especially revered. From the Resident’s office is seen one of these trees which was planted in the Benin City Arboretum some nine years ago. It is a very slow-growing palm, having scarcely one quarter of the rate of growth of the ordinary oil palm. The stem is much thinner in proportion to the height than the ordinary oil palm; and it does not attain more than half the height of an oil palm. When growing in a group, it gives quite a funereal appearance.

The nuts are used by the natives as “Ju-ju” of divination to see into the future. It is said that “the nuts talk,” in the Benin country, where the tree is held to be that of everlasting life.

Elæis sp. Ope trumfo (Yoruba).

Abeokuta province, Yoruba country.

Elæis sp. Small Oil Palm. Ope Ifu No. I (Yoruba); Ogiedi (Benin).

Abeokuta province, Yoruba country.

Elæis Guineensis, var. Lisombe. Palm, or Lisombe Palm, or Soft- shelled Palm. Ogeddin (Benin).

The main difference of this species is in the small oblong, pointed fruit on a much smaller drupe, and the larger quantity of oil obtained from the pericarp and the very small kernel in the nut. It is also much softer to crack. The foliage looks a fresher green than the ordinary variety; also the leaflets are placed at an acuter angle to the leaf stalk than the other.

It is not very prevalent in the Benin, Abeokuta, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria.

Silviculture.—The nuts, when sown, do not germinate true to species, except for a few per cent. It is planted in the Indem country of the Ogoja province.

Native Use.—The oil is collected in a similar way to the other, but is liked more by the natives of Benin. The kernels are used for making oil as well.

Hyphæne. Dum Palm or Forked Palm. Kaba, Kodago, Kwalo (nut), Goriba (Dr. Dalziel’s Hausa list).

It is found in the Zaria and Niger provinces of Nigeria.

The only branched palm in West Africa. It attains a height of 30 feet. It is more or less gregarious in habit, though the individual groups of palms are not very large. It is apparently somewhat fire-resisting, though this may be due to its being found amongst the dry-zone vegetation. The stem is short and the two forks often crooked, so that little or no use is made of the wood by the natives. The seeds are turned into buttons, and so have recently obtained a value for this purpose. They were first sent to England from the Soudan, where apparently the tree is much more common than in West Africa.

Borassus flabelliformis, var. Æthiopica. Palmyra or Black Run Palm, Fan Palm, Bottle Palm, Arac Palm. Agbon, Olodu, Igoti (Yoruba); Oluwa (Benin).

It is a common tree in the dry-zone forest regions of Ibadan, Benin, Onitsha, and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. This palm, with the swollen upper part of the bole making it appear more like a large inverted bottle, is thus not to be mistaken for any other. The huge fan-shaped leaves distinguish it from either the Coconut Palm or the Oil Palm. In the distance, too, the leaves appear more silvery-green, and not the yellow-green of the Coconut, or the bright, fresh green of the Oil Palm, or the sombre dark green of the Wine Palm. A large mass of coconut-shaped nuts, but with a smoother, more yellow surface, and more cylindrical in shape, without the ridges of the coconut, are another feature of this tree. At the base of each nut the old sepals of the flower remain, appearing like large dark-brown leaf scars. The young seedlings are easily seen amongst the grass, sticking up as they do like little silvery-green fans of varying size, in detail showing the folds of a fan most distinctly, the leaf opening out in a similar way to a fan. The bole is dark brown and practically smooth, showing no leaf scars, and only faintly lined vertically down the stem. The base is only slightly swollen, and the roots do not form a large mound round it, as is the case with the Oil Palm, and to some extent with the Tombo Palm. Inside the fruit there are two or three large, flattish nuts.

The timber is fibrous, hard, but very durable and quite termite proof. Although the upper part of the stem is hollow, long sectional pieces, four by two, and even thicker, can be cut out. It planes up with a smooth surface, and the grain looks very pretty with the thick fibres. It nails fairly well and splits longitudinally.

It is a light-loving tree, moderately fast growing for a palm. It is usually found growing gregariously in groups of a few acres up to hundreds of acres in extent. However, it is rarely thick enough to thoroughly shade the ground. Natural regeneration is good, even though in most areas annual grass-fires run through the trees and to some extent char the fruit. No plantations have been made of these species.

The timber has not been exported, but locally it has been used for house-building, as well as for fences near the railway. The natives occasionally use it for house-building, but they do not know how to tap it for the wine. The leaves are sometimes used for making temporary shelters. The fruit is sometimes eaten, and has a pleasant taste. The nuts might be exported for making into buttons.

=Cyanastraceæ.=

Cyanastrum cordifolium. Ikoto.

It has an edible fruit. Found in the Benin province of Nigeria.

=Liliaceæ.=

Dracæna sp. Dragon’s Blood. Ewanenimi (Benin).

It has a very long, thin leaf of the usual monocotyledonous type and with a somewhat branched stem, with thin papery bark.

It is fairly common in the Benin country. It is one of the few monocotyledonous trees of the forest, and thus easily distinguishable from other trees. The parallel veins of the leaf are very long and laid fairly close together. The stem is very porous and not woody, being more fibrous in type. It reaches a girth of about 4 feet and a height of 40 feet.

Native Use.—The leaves are used by the natives medicinally; and occasionally the sap is used to blind people.

Dracæna surculosa. Dragon’s Blood. Ope, Igbo.

Is found in Olokemeji.

Dracæna cylindrica. Boundary tree. Peregun (Yoruba); Ukpogun, Ogihu (Benin).

Found in the Olokemeji Reserve.

Dracæna cylindrica. Boundary tree. Peregun (Yoruba); Ukpogun, Ogihu (Benin).

It has a wider and shorter leaf than the Ewanenimi tree, but again with the parallel veins, which are, of course, typical of the monocotyledon. It does not really form proper timber, but the stem is of a spongy, fibrous nature. It reaches a girth of about 5 feet and a height of about 50 feet. It usually has one stem, which is unbranched for a very considerable length, but sometimes a whole group will grow up in one place.

Both this and the former species are propagated very easily by cuttings. In fact, it is possible to take the end of a branch complete with the leaves and put it in the ground, when it will grow. It likes a comparatively deep moist soil, though it will stand any amount of drought without actually dying. It stands pruning well and grows moderately rapidly.

It is useful for making live fences.

Native Use.—Both Yorubas and Benis use the tree for boundaries, simply sticking cuttings in wherever it is wished to mark a place. “Ju-ju” places are also marked in this way. The leaves are used medicinally in Benin.

Dracæna Perrottetii. Boundary tree. Ope, Kanakan (Yoruba).

Found in the Mamu Forest.

Dracæna sp. Boundary tree. Oro Igbo (Yoruba); Uruaro (Benin).

A common Dracæna found in the Benin and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. It is often used for making fences to farms and boundaries for village or farm land, and for marking special “Ju-ju” places. The Benin people state that it has more latex than the other species of this genus.

=Marantaceæ.=

Clinogyne, syn. Donax cuspidata. Yoruba Soft Cane. Toto (Y.).

It is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. It is a small soft cane which grows gregariously in groups from a quarter to half an acre in extent in the Olokemeji Reserve, to a height of about 5 feet, and has large, alternating, very fine parallel-veined leaves. Inflorescence, raceme or panicle-like bracts, deciduous. Some species yield starch or fibre. Toto is found quite abundantly in the middle of the Olokemeji Reserve. It is used for mat-making, and considered most valuable.

=Orchidaceæ.=

Polystachya sp. (Lindl.). Eme-ela (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

Polystachya odorata. Afoma (Yoruba).

This is a parasitic plant, very similar to mistletoe, which attacks many kinds of trees and has recently been found on the six-year-old teak at Mamu and Olokemeji, in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

=Ulmaceæ.=

Celtis solenostigma. Hard Celtis (large). Ita (Yoruba); Ita, Uta (Ikale); Ohianamemme, Ohia (Benin); Omoin, Itako, Ita gangan (Egba).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ondo, Benin, Owerri, and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, in the mixed deciduous forest zone, where it is usually very prevalent. In many places it is almost gregarious.

It is a large tree 10 feet in girth, with smooth stem and large, long, thin buttresses. It has a bigger leaf (6 inches) than the other Ita, with a very prominent mid vein on the leaf.

The fruit is dark coloured. The root buttresses are very long and thin, extending sometimes 15 feet up the trunk of the tree. They are, however, shallower and thinner than in the case of mahogany and cotton trees. They merge gradually at an angle of about 15 degrees into the stem. The bole may reach a length of about 90 feet, and is usually very straight. The crown is compressedly spherical, rather shallow in proportion to the size of the tree, but fairly wide-spreading. Occasionally, if the bark has a yellow tinge, especially in smaller specimens, the tree may be mistaken for Opele, Schrebera Golungensis.

Timber is white and very hard, and splits well when it is dry. When dry it is inclined to be brittle, though it shows considerable lateral strength. The texture of the grain is fine, and it planes up with a smooth surface. It is liable to split with nails, but it saws well. Under cover it is durable; in the open, unless very carefully dried, it is liable to decay. When thoroughly dry it hardens very considerably, and is not attacked by white ants, especially when used in a suitable place. When dry it will float, but the wood is liable to become discoloured by contact with water.

As firewood it burns slowly, gently and steadily, giving out much heat. It is a fairly rapid-growing tree, at first shade-bearing and later somewhat light-demanding; in the older stages it scarcely protects the soil. Up to the pole stage it is a soil-improving tree, the leaves making a rich humus. Natural regeneration appears to be good. It does not sprout from the stump. Considering its size it is fairly wind-firm. No plantations have been made of this tree.

The timber has not been exported, not has it been sawn up for local use. Considering its prevalence, it deserves a trial.

Native Use.—It is considered the best firewood in Benin, and also used as firewood among the Yorubas.

Celtis sp.? Soft Celtis (small). Ita ita (Yoruba); Ohia (Benin).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ondo, Benin, and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, in the mixed deciduous forest zone, where it is very prevalent.

It is a medium-sized tree up to 4 feet in girth, with medium sized, thin leaves and white-coloured twigs. The stem is slightly scaly and yellowish-green in colour, especially in the upper parts. A very common tree in the deciduous forest. With its yellowish-green bark in the upper part of the bole it is very similar to Opele, Schrebera Golungensis, and can often be mistaken for it. The trunk, however, is not slightly pitted, as is the case with Schrebera. On the whole, this tree is shorter, reaching a height of about 40 feet. The root buttresses are much slighter than in the case of C. solenostigma, though they are of a similar shape, being very thin and merging gradually into the trunk to a height of about 5 feet from the ground.

Timber is white and fairly hard, but not durable. It hardens somewhat on exposure to the air. The texture of the grain is fine, but occasionally cross-grained. It planes moderately well, and takes nails moderately well also, more so than C. solenostigma. It saws easily and splits well.

As a firewood it burns steadily and slowly, giving out great heat. It does not crackle nor cause sparks.

It is a moderately fast growing, at first shade-bearing, and subsequently a light-demanding tree. During most of its life it is a soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration is good. It sprouts a little from the stump, but not strong enough for purposes of reproduction.

The timber has not been exported, nor has it been sawn up for planks for local use. Being smaller than C. solenostigma, after trial it may not be found so useful, but it could be used for similar purposes.

Native Use.—Firewood of the best kind, and occasionally used as side house-posts.

Trema Africana. African Elm. Ehunogo, Ehrunbogo (Benin); Affi (Ibadan and Oyo); Afoforo (Egba); Offun (Lagos).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan and Benin provinces of Nigeria, in the mixed deciduous forests, where it is moderately prevalent.

It is a medium-sized tree with nettle-like leaves, which wither rapidly. It has a very thin, smooth bark. The fruit is small, thin and long, and is eaten by pigeons. It grows up where old trees fall in the forest, and is also a common tree in old farms. Medium-sized specimens are in general appearance, from a little distance, very similar to Iroko, and it can be mistaken for this tree. The crown, however, is narrower, and the foliage is somewhat thicker, and the leaves and branches are placed rather closer together than those of Iroko. The bark is slightly fissured, and does not show lenticels like the Iroko, especially not on the roots. In proportion to the size of the tree, the root spurns are larger than in the case of Iroko. It it usually found growing singly, whereas groups of Iroko are often common, or anyhow several are found in one locality.

The timber is white and of medium hardness, but very durable indeed. It is termite proof. It planes well, but does not split easily. It saws well and takes nails fairly easily.

It is of fairly rapid growth, at first shade-bearing, and later a somewhat light-demanding tree, with soil-protecting and soil-improving qualities. Natural regeneration only appears to be moderate. It sprouts from the stump.

The timber has not been exported, not has it been sawn up for local use.

Native Use.—The timber is used amongst the Benis as rafters and ceilings for house-building, as it is uncut or squared.

Trema affinis or T. Africana. African Elm. Afofero (Yoruba).

Found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

=Moraceæ.=

Antiaris toxiaria. False Oroko. Oro Aiyo, (Egba) (Yoruba); Ogiovu (Benin).

It is a common tree in the Calabar, Ogoja, Owerri, Warri, Benin, Ondo, Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a large tree, reaching a girth of 15 feet and a bole length of 70 feet, of very cylindrical shape. There are large surface roots, which stick up out of the ground on roadsides, but form only low root spurns. The bark is grey, smooth and almost shiny in the sun. The crown is heavier and less open than Iroko, but otherwise in habit it is similar. The leaves on the whole are smaller and the foliage generally is of a lighter green than the Iroko, except when the latter puts on new leaves in February or March. The fruit is a little spherically shaped nut with a papery covering easily removed, disclosing a round nut with small markings all round it. Two kernels are found inside on cracking it. The slash is yellowish white, and gradually a little thin white latex exudes. The tree usually appears after a few years on abandoned farms. The leaf is rough to the hand, almost as bad as Ficus asperata, but there are no hairs on the under surface. On the whole the branches are much flatter than Oroko, though the top of the crown is round. The timber is soft and white all through. Termites attack it. It is very light and might almost pass as a substitute for cork. It has large and wide medullary rays, more especially in the root. In cross section the root looks almost porous.

Native Use.—Amongst the Yorubas the bark is used medicinally and the wood for doors, benches and matchet handles.

It grows very fast and likes light. Scale insects like to make their nests in a junction of a branch with the stem, where there is quite a hollow. In youth the firm and almost horizontal branches are quite a contrast to the long, up-shooting or drooping branches of Oroko. It has not been cut either for local use or for export.

The roots are used for making corks in the Calabar district.

It is used often as a “Ju-ju” tree, like the Iroko, chiefly in the Calabar Division. The hunters sit near the tree, when in fruit, because the Maxwell’s Duika, Yellow-backed Duika, Red-headed Duika, etc., eat the fruit. The bark is used in sections for making bags by sewing the two ends together, as well as one side.

Antiaris sp. Ovu (Benin).

It is a common tree in the Benin and Ondo provinces of Nigeria. It is medium-sized, reaching a girth of 9 feet and a bole length of about 50 feet. The leaf is larger, but the crown appears thicker and heavier than Antiaris toxiaria. The seed is the same size as Antiaris T., but the root spurns are very slight, even less than Antiaris T. The branches spread out from the stem, thus making the crown longer and narrower than Antiaris T. In this respect the Antiaris sp. is more like the Oroko than the Antiaris T.

The timber is white and soft. No proper heartwood. It splits well.

It is a shade-bearer and is often found in the thick forest. It grows much slower than Antiaris T.

It has not been cut for local use or exported to Europe. Perhaps it could be tried for wood pulp.

In Benin the branches of this tree are used for making figures of their ancestors, which are placed outside the house. The bark is used for making bags in a similar way to that of Antiaris T. It is also used for making rope or string for tying bags.

Antiaris sp. Cedar-like Lauro. Oregbon I (Yoruba); Opputtu (Benin).

It is a common tree found in the Benin and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. It is very similar in habit and shape to the Antiaris toxiaria, but it does not attain nearly such a large size. The tree exudes very fine, white latex in a very small quantity. The timber is soft and white and not durable.

To face p. 250.

It is a soil-protecting and soil-improving tree, and stands a good deal of shade. The tree has not been cut for local use, nor has it been tried as a timber for export.

Ficus sp. Common Fig. Obobo (Yoruba); Ohau (Benin).

It is a common tree of the Calabar, Ogoja, Owerri, Warri, Benin, Ondo, Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. One of the most typical features of this tree is its free growth, open crown, and green, yellow and orange-coloured bark from the base upwards. It is a medium- sized tree, attaining a girth of 10 feet. The small red-coloured figs attract pigeons especially, as well as other birds, to the trees in the fruiting season. The leaf is small for a Ficus and oval in shape. The wood is white and soft. The white latex which exudes from the trunk when cut distinguishes this tree from the satinwood, Afrormosia laxiflora, with which it might be confused owing to the similar shades of green, yellow and orange-colour of the bark. It is chiefly found in the secondary forest, also near villages in the evergreen forest zone. Owing to the parrots and pigeons carrying the seed, reproduction from this source, both in epiphytic and tree form, is very good, but it is most usually found growing alone in an open place, without any support from other trees. It is very fast growing and impatient of shade.

The wood has not been used locally nor for export, nor does the native apparently have any use for it, as it soon rots when cut down.

The native occasionally eats the ripe fruit.

Ficus exasperata. Emido, Oboba (Yoruba).

This tree is found in the Abeokuta province.

Ficus Thonningii. Opoto (Yoruba).

This is one of the smaller fig-trees of the mixed deciduous zone. As with the others, it is not used as a timber tree, but occasionally for fences.

Ficus triangularis. Abadan (Yoruba); Obadan-nikwi (Benin).

It is a common tree in the Benin, Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. It is chiefly found in the mixed deciduous forests. It is of no use as a timber tree, but is used occasionally for fences by the natives.

Ficus Vogelii. Lagos, Abba or Abbo Rubber. Abadon (Yoruba); Obadan (Benin).

It is the common tree of the Calabar, Ogoja, Onitsha, Benin, Ondo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. This is the most common fig-tree, and is usually found along the sides of roads in the native villages. The very large, shiny leaf (not quite as glossy as Ficus Indica) is one of the most typical features of this tree. In Benin it is usually deciduous for about thirty-six hours, and the pinkish tips of the fresh leaves and the great rapidity of their development are remarkable. The bark is dark brown and rougher than the other species. In the Benin Forestry Compound there is a large specimen. On the whole, it is less common in the evergreen forest than near villages or roads. In the forest it is most often found as an epiphyte growing on oil palms, Sasswood, and oil-bean trees. The timber is white and soft; it has not been used for local purposes nor for exports. The “Balata rubber” of the Upper Niger district is obtained by roughly coagulating the latex of this tree in the air, with or without reagents, such as the latex of Bauhinia reticulata, or salt. The natives use the tree for making fences by sticking in pieces of the stem of suitable length, and in a similar manner it is used as a shade tree on the sides of roads in the villages. This is more especially the case in the villages in the dry zone, where other shade trees are scarce. Pigeons and parrots spread the seed, and thus its reproduction is assured.

Ficus platyphylla. Gambia Rubber.

It is also found in the upper reaches of the Ogan River, in the Ogo province of Nigeria.

Ficus asperata. Sandpaper Leaf. Ekpin (Yoruba); Ameme (Benin).

It is a common tree in the Ogoja, Owerri, Benin, Onitsha, Ibadan, Ondo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is often found as a small, scrubby tree, though when fully grown it reaches a girth of 8 feet, especially in the Benin province. The rough leaves are harsh to the touch.

The pigeons are very fond of eating the fruit and seeds.

The wood is white and soft.

The leaf is of the usual Ficus style, with a short stalk and deeply dentated, making almost a five-lobed leaf.

The leaves might be useful as a substitute for sandpaper. It has not so far been cut for export or local use.

Native Use.—The leaves are used for cleaning calabashes by the Yorubas and Benin people.

Ficus sp. Ograw (Yoruba).

Found in the Abeokuta province.

Musanga Smithii. Cork-wood or Umbrella Tree. Agbawo or Aga (Yoruba); Ogohen (Benin); Oro (Brass).

It is a very common tree, found growing in new clearings amongst the evergreen and mixed forests of the Calabar, Ogoja, Owerri, Onitsha (?), Warri, Benin, Ondo, Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a medium-sized tree with an umbrella-shaped crown. It is the most distinctly gregarious tree of any in the forest, often alone covering many acres of land, supported on a series of aerial roots, the centre one of which is really the tap-root. The tree looks altogether top-heavy when mature (it is short-lived). It reaches a girth of nearly 5 feet. The bark is thin and of a light brown colour, spotted here and there with large yellow lenticels. The large pink sheath containing the immature staminate flower is often found lying on the forest pathway after the storm. The leaf is reminiscent of the horse chestnut, but with about eight digits. The young leaflet is of an orange-red colour. It is doubtful if it passes an age of thirty years.

The timber is white and soft, with no distinguishing heartwood, but with brown pith half an inch in diameter. When properly dried it has a fine, smooth grain and is usually free of knots. It dries much harder than when freshly cut. It splits well, but it is rather brittle.

It is the quickest growing of all the African forest trees, and certainly reaches timber size before any other. Regeneration by seed is prolific, seeds often germinating after lying dormant for over a hundred years, when a heavy forest is cut down. It is a light-lover, protecting the soil with its heavy foliage, and enriching it by making a good mould when it falls to the ground. It will stand a little shade as a young seedling. Very few trees will grow under it, though it is a useful “nurse.”

The timber is used for floating other wood heavier than water, but it has not been exported or cut for local use. The roots are used medicinally, and hunters tap the tree for water in the dry season.

Native Use.—As the Yoruba name implies, a group of the aerial roots is used for a native chair. Young 6-inch stems, split in half, cut about 4 feet long and dried, are used upright to form the walls of temporary farm-buildings. The wood is also used in place of cork, and for making matchets and knife scabbards in the Benin and Ibo countries respectively.

Chlorophora excelsa. African Oak, African Teak. Iroko (male), Iroko (female), Oba’s Tree, Rock Elm. Iroko (Yoruba); Uloko, Oroko Ulokoodigpe, Uloko-nushinogbon (Benin); Odji (Ibo, Asaba); Ofryio (Efik); Nsan (Oban, Ekoi).

It is a very large forest tree, reaching a girth of 30 feet and a bole length of 90 feet under favourable conditions. The male tree is usually thinner and of more compressed build, whereas the female shows more spreading growth and larger size; it is also quicker growing than the male. The female has stout, finger-thick, solid catkins, whereas the male has thin, long, open catkins up to 6 inches long. The timber of the male is darker brown and closer grained than that of the female, and also harder. The sapwood is wider in the female tree, but there is also a very wide difference between trees of both genders when they are grown in the open, old farms, or in dense, high forest, the latter yielding the hardest and closest-grained timber. The crown is almost umbrella-shaped and open, so that the leaves appear large in proportion, and it is usually possible to see through it. Three or four large limbs form the mainstay of it (see plate No. 37). The yellow lenticels on the stem, especially in younger specimens, and also on the red roots, are typical of the tree. The slash is yellowish, with little red spots in it. A little white latex flows out too.

In proportion to the size of the tree the root spurns are not very large, reaching 3 or 4 feet up the tree, and being well rounded, do not spoil the shape of the base of the bole. In older specimens the bark becomes brown, and finally almost grey in colour, and scales off to a slight extent. Although it forms very large side roots, it has a tap-root going to considerable depth. The loose seeds are small and flat, being not unlike those of alder, but rather larger and thinner.

It is found in all the Southern Provinces of Nigeria, both in the evergreen and mixed forest zones, where it is none too prevalent.

Timber.—Sapwood is yellowish white, and the heartwood of a yellow brown to dark brown (oak to teak brown). It is moderately hard, very durable and termite-proof. It does not plane very well, being sometimes cross-grained; it can, however, be worked up to a smooth finish. The grain is rather open and the pores very long. It has, however, an oily feel, and a certain amount of sheen. It takes nails with difficulty, splits moderately well and saws easily. It soon darkens on exposure to the air and light, becoming in this respect much darker than oak in a similar period. When seasoned properly it does not warp excessively. If taken green from the forest zone into a drier climate it will split. In the past a good deal of timber has been used in this state.

It is a moderately fast-growing, at first shade-bearing and subsequently a light-demanding tree, with soil-protecting and soil- improving qualities. It is deciduous for a few weeks in the year, generally in February or March, but specimens vary a great deal in this respect. Natural regeneration is very good, and in suitable localities it tends to spread more and more with the advance of the native farms into the forest. It stands transplanting very badly. Nursery sowings, however, show an enormous percentage of germination, the seedlings often coming up more thickly than grass. The ground pig eats the roots of transplanted seedlings, especially in localities where there are less desirable trees. It will grow as much as 6 feet in one year, and wherever it has much light in the forest, self-sown seedlings will grow 3 or 4 feet each year. The leaves are attacked by a minute coccus which causes them to swell up into an irregular shape, including the bud, thus stopping the growth for that season. Inside each of these swellings there are several of the young insects. Only the younger trees are attacked, and from the pole stage onwards trees do not appear to suffer nearly so much. In localities, too, where the trees grow very rapidly they appear to be less attacked, if at all. It is not very susceptible to fire, though in the mixed deciduous the base of the stem is often burnt. It is one of the most storm-firm of all the African trees. The bole is very cylindrical, especially if the tree which has been growing in the forest is given plenty of space to grow. The increment put on the bole is very great, being as much as 11 inches in circumference in one year.

In 1906 sample logs of this timber were sold in the Liverpool market as Iroko at 5d. per superficial foot, sale measure. Since that date it has been sold as African Oak and African Teak at a similar price, and appears now to be fairly well established in the market. As there are large supplies in many districts, such as the Yoruba country, Onitsha, Ahoada and Ogoja districts, there should be no difficulty in keeping the market supplied with moderate quantities year by year, at perhaps, though, slightly increasing costs. Locally the tree has been felled and sawn up for planks, scantlings, rafters, beams and general constructional work. By the Railway Administration it has thus far been considered the best wood for sleepers. Amongst the natives it is often worth more than it is to the European, the price varying from half a crown to 4s. 6d. per cubic foot for sawn boards 12 feet long, 12 inches wide and 1 inch thick.

Native Use.—The most valued of all woods for wall-plates and door lintels, treasure-boxes, washing-basins for chiefs. Doors, too, are made of it in Benin. Women place little pieces of chalk, yams, plantains, cowries, coco yams at the base of the tree, and it is said they will be blessed with children. Chiefs sacrifice a goat with a mat and a fine white cloth to propitiate the witches, who are supposed to hold their court in the Iroko tree and try to catch one of the sons of the chief.

Treculia Africana (Decne). African Breadfruit. Afon (Yoruba); Ije (Benin); Ijeni (fruit).

This tree is usually found near the edge of the villages of the Calabar, Benin, Ondo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It grows to a large size, with a bole length of 20 feet and a girth of 9 feet, but it is usually a rather open-crowned, spreading tree. For its size the foliage is not over-dense. The leaves are single and roughly lanceolate, with a dark-green and rather shiny upper surface. The most conspicuous feature of this tree is the huge green, perfectly spherical-shaped fruit. Immature fruits of all sizes, from a cricket- ball upwards to a size of 18 inches in diameter, are seen growing close against the stem of the trunk and bigger branches of the tree. Some years ago, one of these ripe fruits fell off a tree at the edge of the Benin market and struck a woman on the shoulder with such force that she died a few days later. The natives subsequently cut the tree down.

The chief use of the tree is the fruit, which is placed in water to rot so that the seeds can be more easily extracted from the concentrically arranged fibres growing from the centre of the fruit outwards to the periphery. These are subsequently cooked and eaten, often being beaten up in a soup. From the outside the fruit looks as if it were made up of thousands of little green fibres closely packed together from the centre of the fruit, with the ends sticking out on the surface, thus giving it a rough feeling to the touch and making it appear as if it were full of holes.

The junction of a branch with the stem shows a large swelling all round the base of the branch, which thins out to its regular size about 6 to 9 inches away from the trunk.

The tree is comparatively slow-growing, but of a soil-protecting and light-loving nature. In the dry season, great quantities of dew condense on this tree, so that underneath the soil is kept moist. Probably more dew falls on this tree than Myrianthus arboreus, which shows a similar feature.

Thus far the wood has not been used for any purpose.

Treculia sp. Small-fruited African Breadfruit. Izenagan (Benin).

Found in the Benin province.

Morus sp. Aye (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province in Nigeria.

Myrianthus arboreus. Shapo Obibere (Yoruba); Ihege (Benin).

It is a small to medium-sized tree, with short stem rarely exceeding 8 feet in height, and a much-branched, heavy crown, with very large leaf, cut up in the form of a large digit, much more pronounced than the horse chestnut. The leaves, on falling, rot and form a heavy layer of black humus. In the dry season the dew condenses to such an extent on the leaves that the tree drips in the morning, and the neighbourhood of such trees is always moist when the rest of the forest is dry.

The large, rough, elongated, pear-shaped fruit, like an overgrown sweetsop, is quite characteristic of this tree.

It is found in the Ondo, Benin, Owerri, Warri, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria.

It is scarcely big enough for timber, but would make a good undergrowth for a light-loving species such as mahogany or teak, and would kill all weeds on good soil. Usually found on good soil. The timber is white and soft.

No botanical name. Iragbo-Amuje (Yoruba); Igogo (Benin).

It is a large tree with almost hard white wood, more the texture of Triplochiton. The fruit is a drupe, with a small nut inside. Termites do not attack the wood. It is a quick-growing tree, which comes up very frequently in old farms.

It is a common tree in the Benin country.

It is a shade-bearer.

Native Use.—In the Benin country it is used for door lintels and cross-pieces in house-building.

=Urticaceæ.=

Urera. Ela (Yoruba); Akinrankiri (Benin).

Found in the Yoruba and Benin countries.

=Proteaceæ.=

Faurea speciosa. Red-brown timber.

Found in the Calabar province.

=Olacaceæ.=

Heisteria parvifolia. White Nut (?). Ikereoha (Benin).

It rarely exceeds the height of about 8 feet and a girth of about 1 foot.

This is a small shrub with red flowers of four petals at right angles to each other, in the middle of which a white-coloured fruit forms. On peeling off the white skin, a black nut is disclosed, which is edible. It tastes more like a hazel-nut. The red flower is the most distinguishing feature, and makes this plant show up amongst the evergreen zone.

It is found in the Ondo, Benin, and Calabar provinces of Nigeria.

It is a shade-bearing and slow-growing shrub, with soil-protecting and soil-improving qualities. It serves a very useful purpose amongst the undergrowth in the forest. Natural regeneration appears to be fair, but no plantations have been made with this species. The nuts have not been tested in the export market. Amongst the natives the nuts are very popular, and it is the only use which they have for this shrub. This chiefly refers to the Benin district.

Heisteria sp.?. Benin Nut, Edible Nut. Evialegbi (Benin).

It is found chiefly in the Benin province of Nigeria, though probably its area of distribution extends to the Ondo and Ogoja provinces as well. It is a tall, comparatively thin-boled tree in proportion to its height. Attaining a girth of about 8 feet, the bole is 40 feet in length. The bark is dull green and not very thick, being more in the nature of cortex than real bark. The most typical feature of the tree is the fruit, which is a spherically-shaped nut with a pointed tip. When dry, it is marked with shallow groves about half a millimetre apart, all converging to the tip. When cracked, the kernel obtained is rather pleasant to the taste, with plenty of oil. The timber is a yellowish colour and moderately hard. It is fairly durable, though it is attacked by a small wood-borer when it is left lying in the forest. It is a moderately fast-growing tree, but is a shade-bearing, soil protecting and improving tree. Natural regeneration appears to be poor. No plantations have yet been made with it, but its yield of nuts should be tested. The timber has not yet been exported, nor has it been cut for local use. So far, the chief use of the tree is the nut, but even here proper tests have not yet been made, and it is only the natives who really know the tree. The exact oil content has yet to be tested.

Coula edulis. Nkula in the Gaboon, Gaboon Nut. Omumu (Benin).

An edible nut containing oil. It is nearly round in shape, but slightly depressed at the top, with a soft shell.

Chief Characteristics.—The tree is of medium size, with narrow crown and small leaves, the fruit being borne on the upper side of the branches. It is moderately common near Ugo and also on the Siluko road (both in Benin). This is apparently a rare tree in reality, and it may be mistaken for Ivialegbi.

The timber is brown with a red tinge, almost hard.

Native Use.—The nut decorticated is sold in the native markets and eaten as a delicacy.

Value.—According to report made some years ago, it was valued at £7 per ton in Liverpool. It was difficult to get sufficient for a sample.

=Loranthaceæ.=

Loranthus leptolobus. African Mistletoe, or Red-flowering Loranthus.

Found in the Yoruba and Benin country.

=Menispermaceæ.=

Cissampelos Owariensis. Ebewaki (Benin).

A medicinal plant.

Cissampelos Pareira (L.). Jokoye (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

=Anonaceæ.=

Enantia polycarpa (Kew). Abeokuta Bark, Kanda or Canta Bark. Ghido (Yoruba).

Found in the Egba province.

Enantia chlorantha. African Yellow Wood. Yaru (Yoruba); Ehranbabogo (Benin).

It is a common tree of the Ondo, Benin, Owerri, Ogoja and Calabar provinces of Nigeria.

It is a medium-sized tree, attaining a girth of 5 feet and a bole length of 25 feet. The most peculiar feature of the tree is the fruit, a bundle of reddish clubs all coming out of the twig at one point. The stem is dull green, with scattered lenticels here and there. The bole is uneven near the base and almost divided by large spurns, which makes it difficult to cut out a square log. Standing in dense shade usually, and often with a piece of the bark removed, showing the yellow cambium layer or wood, it is easily distinguished from other trees.

The yellow wood is similar both in the sap and in the heartwood. It splits well, even into tiny thin, lath-like pieces. It is soft, but planes up into a smooth surface. The medullary rays are often prominent, and make the wood look very pretty. The sheen of the wood also adds to its appearance.

The tree is a shade-bearer and rather slow-growing; perhaps in more open localities it would grow faster. Natural regeneration does not appear to be good, though more extensive observations on this point may reveal more. Small quantities of seed are borne each year. It sprouts a little from the stump, but this method of reproduction cannot be relied upon. Cuttings have not yet been tried. It likes a good moist soil of the evergreen forest and lower parts of the mixed deciduous forest. It has not yet received a place in the forest plantations.

Samples of the timber have been tried in England and used with good effect as a substitute for American “Whitewood,” to which it is similar in texture. Its small size rather hinders its more extensive use. In the Benin district it is used as cross-pieces and rafters in building; wooden shovels are also made from it. It is occasionally used to make a yellow dye, especially the bark. Native caps are made from the bark, which is fibrous. It is also used for verandah-posts and door-frames.

Dennettia tripetala. Igberi (Yoruba); Ako (Benin).

It is a common tree in the Benin, Ondo (?) and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a maximum girth of 6 feet, with a short bole and a much-branched crown. Most commonly seen as a shrub- like tree in the mixed deciduous forest. The flower has three petals, with red colour inside and brown outside. The flowers grow on the stem or the twigs with little or no stalk, usually two or three in one place.

The timber, which is white and soft, is eaten by termites. There is no proper heartwood.

It is a shade-bearer, and rather slow-growing tree. It likes good soil, and is rather an indication of a loose, good and deep soil.

It has not been exported or used locally.

Native Use.—The fruit, which has a peppery taste, is eaten. The chiefs only eat the fruit after it has become red and really ripe. The small boys use the new young leaves uncooked to make the mouth warm when the rain falls.

Dennettia sp. Agedegbo, Ako (Benin).

This tree was determined from specimens obtained in the early part of 1917 from Olokemeji, where it is somewhat common. Owing to the fact that only immature and mature fruiting specimens were sent, it may be identical with Dennettia tripetala. It is, however, a much smaller tree, and the fruit is not nearly so large and is a more oblong shape than D. tripetala. It is a small, much-branched tree and yields a hard, whitish-yellow wood which might be used as substitute for lancewood. The Benis eat the fruit, but the Yorubas have no use for the tree.

Xylopia Æthiopica. Negro Pepper. Eru (Yoruba); Unie (Benin); Atta (Efik).

Is a medium-sized tree with silvery smooth, grey trunk, and found growing near the banks of rivers in all the southernmost provinces of Nigeria.

To face p. 260.

It is stated to be useful for oars and masts for small boats, according to the report on the Exhibition of 1867. Since that date, however, it has not been used for this purpose. The bole reaches a girth of about 5 feet and a length of about 45 feet. The crown is narrow and comparatively long, but rather compressed and compact. The foliage is dense and comparatively close together. The root spurns are slight and narrow, not extending very far up the bole. In proportion to its height the trunk is thin and very cylindrical in shape, though occasionally near the base it may not be absolutely round and tends to bulge out rather more on one surface than the other. The fruit, when ripe, is like a bunch of black keys, or little short, round-ended pieces of wood, all projecting out of one central stalk or fork, which is the most typical feature of the tree. The cortex is comparatively thin, and remains smooth even in the mature trees. The bole tapers only very slightly, and does not divide or send out any branches until the crown is reached.

The sapwood is white, as also the heartwood, except that the latter tends to have a very light yellowish-brown tinge, especially as it seasons. It is moderately hard, showing great elasticity, planing with a smooth surface, splitting moderately well, taking nails and not warping or shrinking to any great extent. Even fresh it is comparatively a dry wood. It saws well and shows considerable textile strength, as also strength in compression, is moderately heavy and termite-proof. The texture of the grain is very fine and even, and the grain is very straight.

This tree is somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting, and soil-improving. Natural regeneration is moderate. It does not sprout from the stump. It stands a certain amount of flooding, but it seems to demand a good soil with plenty of moisture, including a very moist atmosphere. No plantations have been made of this tree.

The timber has not been felled for export, nor has it been cut for local use, but it appears to deserve a trial as a substitute for lancewood, or other woods which show considerable elasticity. It should be noted that it belongs to the same family as that of the lancewood. Owing to the straightness and comparative evenness of the bole for a very considerable length, it might be suitable for shafts or even telegraph poles.

The fruit is used as a kind of comestible amongst most of the natives, as it has a peppery taste which is not unpleasant.

It is usually dried and sold in the native markets, several bunches for a penny. By some it is almost looked upon as a medicine.

Xylopia parviflora (Eng. and Diels). Small-flowering Negro Pepper. Sesedo, Issa oku (Yoruba); Aghako or Oziza (?) (Benin).

This tree is found in the Abeokuta and Benin provinces of Nigeria, where it is none too prevalent. It is a medium-sized tree with a very straight, thin and tall bole. Except for its size it is very much like X. Æthiopica; the fruit is much smaller and scarcely to be seen from the ground. The timber is grey-white, and the heartwood, though occasionally a light brown, is scarcely to be distinguished from the sapwood. It is hard, durable, and said to be termite-proof. It does not take nails easily, nor does it split well, but it saws comparatively easily. Natural reproduction by seeds appears to be poor. It scarcely sprouts from the stump. It is a shade-bearing, soil- protecting and soil-improving tree.

The timber has not been exported. The bark and roots are used medicinally.

It is used locally for house-building, as verandah-posts or supports for the roof. It has considerable tensile strength and stands compression better still.

Anona Senegalensis (Pers.). Wild Custard Apple. Abo (Yoruba).

This is found in the Oyo and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. It is a small, shrub-like tree, with a short stem of about 4 or 5 feet, and has a very oval leaf, almost ovate in shape. It bears a yellow fruit which divides up into the typical segments common to this family. It resembles the Sugar Apple, has a delicious taste, and the fruit is most refreshing on a hot day at the end of the dry season. The tree is fire-resisting. Being deciduous, it is not a soil-improving tree. It is soil-exacting, but is also found in rocky localities. The tree is not very prolific, but sprouts very strongly from the stump and to a less extent with root suckers. The small timber is occasionally used for house-building.

Anona palustris (Foster). Alligator Apple. Afe (Yoruba).

The wood is supposed to be soft, and to have been introduced into the country some years ago.

It is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. The fruit is edible, the foliage dense and heavy. In the dry season the dew condenses on the leaves and towards morning drips off on to the ground, thus keeping the immediate vicinity of the tree quite moist. The leaves, when decayed, make a rich humus. It is one of the most valuable soil- improving trees.

Anona Mannii.

It grows in the forest region of the Central and South Provinces of Nigeria. It is a medium-sized tree bearing large green fruit close to the stem.

Popowia Mannii.

A specimen of this Popowia has been found in Alasko, near the Oha River in the Ibadan province of Nigeria.

Anona Afzelii. Probably the same as Dennettia sp. Ako, Aggedegbo (Benin).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Benin and Warri provinces of Nigeria.

It is a medium-sized tree of the more swampy parts or moister regions of the evergreen forest zone. The leaves are a very large size, often reaching a length of 1 foot. The wood is yellowish-white and soft and not very durable. Owing to the very dense foliage, quite a thick layer of humus is formed in the shade of the tree, so that its soil- improving properties are very great. It would be a valuable tree for underplanting mahogany or any deciduous tree, both with a view to providing soil cover and improving the soil.

The natives do not use this wood.

Hexalobus grandiflorus (Benth.) Afara (Yoruba).

Found in the Abeokuta province.

Uvaria Afzelii. Gbogbonshe (Yoruba).

It is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. A small tree with hard wood.

Uvaria Busgenii. Paddlewood. Umaja or Umazza (Benin); Uruiju Arogu (Yoruba).

It is found in the Calabar, Ogoja (?), Benin, Ondo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a large tree, and reaches a girth of about 10 feet with a good bole and limbs. The crown is narrowish, being formed by many small branches. The bark is light green, scaling off and leaving yellow patches with a red edge to each; otherwise it is smooth and almost shining. It is a common tree of the evergreen forest. With the exception of slight hollows near the base of the stem the bole is quite round.

The timber is a faint orange-colour with a reddish tint. There is very little difference between the heart and sap wood, except that the former is a lighter colour. It splits well and planes into a smooth surface. At the corner of a square block pieces are liable to split off. The grain is a little open and the pores are rather long.

Termites (white ants) make no impression on it. The timber is hard, with a certain amount of rigidity, and yet has no resilience.

It is a slow-growing tree and shade-bearer. Judging by the number of small trees found, reproduction from seed must be good. It does not sprout from the stool, and root suckers are thrown up after the trees have been felled. It likes moist and deep soil, which must be moderately good, e.g. the red soil of Benin and sandy loam of Badagry district.

In 1906 samples of the wood were sold in the Liverpool market as Sabicu and realized 1s. to 2s. per superficial foot. It has also been used for European house-building in the Calabar province.

Native Use.—It is chiefly used for making paddles. It is also used for joists and posts by the Benin people.

Uvaria Chamæ (Kew). Eruju (Yoruba).

It is a large shrub with sweet-scented flowers. Lagos Island.

Artabotrys sp. Ako gbogbonshe (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

Monodora tenuifolia. African Nutmeg. Lakosin (?) (Yoruba); Unyenghen (Benin).

In younger trees there are a few narrow white streaks in the dull green bark, which gives it quite a distinctive appearance.

Chief Characteristics.—It is a medium-sized tree with yellow flowers tinged with white, most conspicuous after they have fallen to the ground. The flower has three petals with wavy edges, and reminds most people of an orchid. In fact, many have asked whether it is not an orchid. The leaves are light green, especially on the under-side, though darker as the rainy season advances. The fruit is a spherical drupe, containing several small nuts or seeds. The tree flowers before the leaves come fully out, so that it looks very handsome indeed. It is, in fact, one of the prettiest of all the flowering trees. It flowers at the end of February or at the beginning of March. It reaches a girth of about 2 feet and a bole length of about 10 feet, though it is often much branched from about 4 feet from the ground.

It is quite common in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria, especially in the Olokemeji Reserve and on the road between that place and Mamu, in the Benin province, as well as being found in the mixed deciduous forest zone.

The timber is hard and white and fairly durable. It is tough and does not split well.

Although it stands a little shade it is a somewhat slow-growing, light-loving tree, but does not protect the soil. Natural regeneration appears to be fair. It sprouts well from the stump, often in this way forming quite a clump. On these stool shoots it bears flowers and fruit early. It transplants badly, more especially when placed in the open. It is somewhat exacting as to soil, demanding a certain amount of moisture as well as depth. It is somewhat fire-resisting, sprouting out again after such injury.

As it does not really reach timber size, it is not of much use for local constructional purposes.

Native Use.—The smaller trees are used as walking-sticks and the larger ones are sometimes used for hoe and axe handles. In clearing the land for farms, stool shoots are left standing, to act as supports for the tendrils of the yams after they have been planted.

Monodora myristica, var. grandifolia. Calabash Nutmeg. Lakoshe or Abo Lakoshe, Ilakosin, Igbo (Yoruba); Ukposa, Eddo Binoyoba (Benin).

It is found in the mixed deciduous forests of the Ibadan, Ondo, Benin, Owerri, and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, where it is somewhat prevalent.

Chief Characteristics.—It is a large tree, up to 7 feet in girth, with open crown and thin foliage. The flowers are very conspicuous when they fall, having three very large pointed red petals streaked with white, almost reminiscent of an orchid. The edge of the petal is wavy, too. On the tree, the flowers hang from the under-side of twigs with very short petioles. It is the most handsome and largest flowering tree amongst the Monodoras. It is, however, never quite so much covered with flowers as the M. tenuifolia. The flowers are considerably larger, being quite half to one inch longer. The bole reaches a length of about 15 feet, but is often branched lower down. The fruit is a large drupe, containing a number of small nuts.

The timber is whitish, hard and somewhat tough, and does not split well.

It is a moderately fast-growing, light-demanding tree. With the exception of the period when it loses leaves, it is a soil-protecting and soil-improving tree.

Although it scarcely reaches timber size, it might be tried for smaller constructional purposes, such as handles, posts, or rails. The quantities, however, are not very large.

Native Use.—The nut is ground up and used in soup.

Monodora brevipes. Yellow-flowering Nutmeg. Ause, Lakosin (Yoruba); Iyoha (Benin).

Grows abundantly throughout the Tropics. The seeds are useful as condiments or as medicine.

=Myristicaceæ sp.=

Pycnanthus Kombo. White Cedar. Akomu (Yoruba); Omocham (Benin).

It is found in the Calabar, Ogoja, Owerri, Benin, Ondo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a very common tree, especially at the edges of roads and in old farms. It is not so common in the original forest. It grows up to 15 feet in girth. It has a very cylindrical bole, with long, straight, outstanding branches growing close together, more or less forming a flat crown. The leaves are large and pinnate, and the small fruit, which grows in clusters, half opens, disclosing a bright red interior with one round seed covered with pink, mace-like fibre. The slash is pinkish-white, and heavy, sticky white latex streaked with red exudes very freely after it has been cut.

The timber is soft and white and not durable. It has not so far been used either for export or locally.

=Lauraceæ.=

Ocotea cf. Egg-shaped fruit tree. Agkwokhau (Benin).

Found in the Benin province.

=Capparidaceæ.=

Cratæva Adansonii (Guill. et Perr.). Egun oran (Yoruba).

Tree 30 feet high with yellow flowers. Found growing at Fiditi, Oyo province.

Capparis Thonningii. Ekkana, Awoa (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

=Rosaceæ.=

Parinarium sp. Babu (Yoruba); Oria (Benin); Oko (Ibo, Owerri); Oguru (Brass); Edat (Efik); Ukpoi, Edat, Mpuri (Oban, Ekoi).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria, and Asaba district, Benin province.

It is a large tree with irregular surface to the bole, muscular-like protrusions being seen here and there, as well as similar shaped depressions. The crown is wide and flattish, and of light foliage. The fruit is a large, nasty-smelling, apple-shaped drupe.

The timber is white, with apparently little difference between sap and heart wood, and it is hard and tough, not splitting at all easily.

It is a somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil-improving tree, said to be termite-proof. It has considerable resiliency, and stands a certain amount of bending strain.

The timber has not been used for export, nor has it been sawn up for planks for local use.

Native Use.—The Yorubas use the timber for making mortars for food.

Parinarium sp. Red Mahogany. Abue (Egbado, Yoruba); Dabadogun (Benin).

It is plentiful in the Benin and the Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

Chief Characteristics.—It grows into a large tree, but is often seen as a small tree, suppressed by other quicker-growing trees. The dense, somewhat spreading crown is a typical feature of the tree. Its large leaves attract attention, especially compared to the size of the tree. The bole is often crooked and covered with dark green cortex, with only a limited amount of fine bark.

It has a hard, red wood, not unlike mahogany, but with a more fibrous grain. It is durable, especially when left in a wet place. It works up with a good surface and very pleasing colour, making it thoroughly worthy of being a substitute for mahogany. Being a shade-bearer, soil- protecting and soil-improving tree, it should eventually find a place in the forest plantations. Despite its slow growth, its other silvicultural qualities are worthy of attention.

It has not yet been exported, not has it been felled for local use. For the former it appears to deserve a trial.

Native Use.—It is used for firewood.

Parinarium robustum. Sometimes called Mahogany Nuts, Nikko Nuts; Benin Mahogany. Ugibisaro (Benin); Aiyeni (Egbado); Aiye, Aghaghe, Aiyeni (Yoruba).

It is found in the Abeokuta and Benin provinces of Nigeria, in the evergreen forest zone, where it is not very prevalent. It is a large forest tree, reaching a girth of over 12 feet and a bole length of about 70 feet. In the dry season, in the distance, the leaves show the typical dried-up yellow appearance of the Parinariums, especially being somewhat shiny in appearance. The fruit is not unlike a very large, very dark green plum, but rather more flattened and not so round. The inside nut is compressedly spherical, showing five large eyes or holes out of which seeds germinate.

The sapwood is yellowish-white and somewhat broad in proportion to the size of the tree, and the hard wood is mahogany-red coloured, but with more fibrous grain. It planes up with a smooth surface and splits fairly easily, especially when nailed. It is moderately hard and quite durable, and is not supposed to be attacked by white ants (termites). Like most of the Parinariums, the fresh wood smells something like honey, and the timber tends to darken on exposure to the air, thus improving in colour.

On the whole it is a shade-bearing tree and not very fast-growing. It has soil-protecting and soil-improving qualities. Natural regeneration only appears to be very moderate. Like most of the Parinariums, the kernels of the fruit are pecked out by various birds. No plantations have been made of this tree.

Quite by accident, in 1906 some logs obtained from this tree were cut and exported, and sold in the Liverpool market as Benin mahogany at 4d. per superficial foot. Since then, however, none has been cut.

Amongst the Benin natives the timber is occasionally used for house- building.

Parinarium excelsum. Essago (Benin).

It is found in the Ondo, Benin, Owerri and Calabar provinces of Nigeria, in the evergreen forest zone, where in certain localities it is very prevalent.

In appearance it is like the rough-skin plum of Sierra Leone, but a larger and taller tree. The leaf usually looks dry and grey, especially underneath. The crown is oval and very dense, with a mass of large limbs. The bark is covered with white lenticels, which make it look grey. It usually bears a large crop of fruit each year.

It reaches a girth of over 12 feet and a bole length of about 50. In proportion to the height, the bole is not so long as in the cases of many other forest trees. The fruit is more uneven in surface than that of P. robustum, and the surface is also more or less speckled with little white raised lumps, giving it a roughness to the touch. The fruit inside is yellowish-white, rather hard and not unpleasant to taste. Where it is found, especially in the more swampy parts, it is often almost gregarious in habit. It is an evergreen tree.

The wood when freshly cut smells like honey. The sapwood is yellowish- white and the heartwood is brown. On the whole it is much harder than P. robustum. Occasionally it appears cross-grained, and does not plane up with such a smooth finish. It saws less easily, and it is hard to drive nails into it. It does not split well. It is rather a heavy wood and does not float.

It is a somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing tree, which thoroughly protects the soil and improves it with its leaf fall. Natural regeneration appears to be none too good. No plantations have been made of this tree.

It has not been felled for local use, but occasionally it has been used for firewood, which is of somewhat high calorific power. The fruit is occasionally useful to temporarily assuage hunger in the forest.

It was sold as African greenheart at 1s. 6d. to 1s. 9d. a cubic foot in the Liverpool market in 1906.

Native Use.—None, and the fruit is not eaten. Elephants eat the fruit.

Parinarium polyandrum (Benth.) (?). Plum. Ako Idofun (Yoruba).

Smaller fruit than P. curatellæfolium and very hard; similar flowers, the leaves rough and only slightly grey-green on the under- surface. Stem reddish-brown with long lenticels, leaves larger and longer.

It is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

Native Use.—The tree is used by the natives for building farmhouses.

Parinarium curatellæfolium (Planch.). Abo-Idofun (Yoruba).

A small tree 10 feet in height and 1 foot in diameter, with large umbelliferous flowers of a white colour. The leaves are rough and shiny on the upper surface, and with more white underneath than the P. polyandrum.

Native Use.—The fruit is edible, though not usually eaten. No use as firewood. The wood is used for building farm-sheds.

Parinarium Gabunense. Mahogany Nut. Abere (Yoruba).

Found in the Ondo province.

Chrysobalanus sp. Niko Nut. Igata (Yoruba).

Found at Ebuttemetta.

=Leguminosæ (Cæsalpineæ).=

Cassia Sieberiana. Cassia. Aridan-toro (Yoruba); Ezzi, Apagban (Benin).

It is commonly found in Benin, Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria, more especially in the latter. It is a small tree bearing large and long racemes of yellow flowers in February, making it very reminiscent of the laburnum. The tree is leafless at the time, so that the flowers are all the more conspicuous. The almost rectangular branching habit of this tree, combined with the rather thin twigs, is very typical. It yields a hard, red wood, but the sapwood is yellowish-white. The natives use the fruit medicinally and the timber for house-building. The pods are usually about a foot long and half an inch in diameter.

Cassia tora. Cassia. Ako Kere (Yoruba).

It is found at Olokemeji, in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. Its medicinal use as a remedy for ringworm is not known to the natives of that locality.

Cassia fistula. Cassia. Bembedo (Yoruba).

It is rather an uncommon tree of the Benin province of Nigeria, one specimen being found in the Idah district; the longer (1 to 2 feet) and stouter (¾ to 1 inch) pod is most typical of this tree. It is otherwise much the same size as Cassia Sieberiana. The natives use the fruit medicinally, but look upon the tree as a “great medicine.”

Cassia podocarpa (G. and P.). Cassia. Asunwon (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve.

Shrub with yellow flowers.

Cassia occidentalis. Blackwater Plant. Rere (Yoruba).

It is a small shrub-like herb with large upright flowers, which is usually found growing in waste places at the edge of villages in the Yoruba country, in the mixed deciduous forest zone. A medicine to cure blackwater fever is made from this plant, though doctors now say it is not an infallible cure.

Ormosia laxiflora (Benth.). False Dalbergia. Shedun (Yoruba).

It is found in the Ibadan, Abeokuta, Onitsha and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, chiefly at the edge of the dry-zone forest.

It is a small tree, 12 feet high and 18 inches in girth, with almost brick-red or orange-coloured bark, which is thin and often scarred by natives. It has a long, thin pod with thin, flat seeds. It reminds one very much of a small Dalbergia. It stands the annual fires well, though it gets singed each year. The base of the bole is often somewhat enlarged with the constant cutting of the bark both of the stem and the uppermost roots.

The timber is yellowish-red and not very hard, but rough to work up, being more in the nature of a turner’s than a joiner’s wood. The grain is often by no means straight, and the wood shows a little figure.

Withstanding the fires so well, it serves, or should serve, as a nurse for the introduction of more valuable species amongst the dry-zone trees, especially on the laterite soils. Natural regeneration is good and it sprouts well from the stump. Root suckers do not appear to be so prevalent as in many dry-zone species. It is a light-loving species, which does not protect the soil properly, though the foliage is comparatively dense for that type of tree. It is slow-growing. No plantations have been made.

It does not attain sufficient size for export, but it might be tried for local turnery work. It is useful for local hut-building.

Native Use.—House-building, and the roots when boiled are used in medicine as a tonic.

Afrormosia elata. African Satinwood, Yellow Satinwood. Ayin (Yoruba); Anyeran, Anyesan, Ehranobapotineddo (Benin); Egbi (Ibadan); Elo Uta (Ibo, Owerri).

A very conspicuous tree, with its orange-red trunk near the base, gradually shading off to yellow higher up, and towards the branches a light-green colour. Large, irregular-shaped pieces of bark fall off from time to time, in a similar way to the plane-tree of Europe, though with its reddish trunk it is not so much like the plane as Afzelia Africana. The root flanges or spurns are very thin and do not extend beyond about three feet up the stem of the tree. In plate No. 82 one of these trees, growing near Benin, shows the open, rather narrow crown with its few main limbs supporting it.

It is commonest in the Benin, but also found in the Ondo, Owerri and Calabar provinces in the moist evergreen forests. It is also seen in secondary forests of the same zone.

The timber planes well, but does not split. It saws easily, but takes nails with difficulty. It is sometimes figured, especially logs from the base of the tree.

It is pretty easily killed by fire at the roots, though otherwise it tends to spread with cultivation. The sapwood is almost white and the heartwood a yellowish-green, when fresh, but a dull yellow when dry. It is very hard and withstands the attacks of white ants (termites). Even the sapwood of a young tree had not rotted after six years near the bank of the Ogba, Benin province. It grows moderately quickly.

The flower is inconspicuous and small, and the pod is also small, being about 2½ inches long and ½ inch broad, containing two or three flat seeds. The tree does not bear very heavily, and in consequence natural regeneration is not very good, though such seeds as actually form properly seem to germinate well. In youth it bears some shade, but in middle age seems to be almost a light-demander.

Although when freshly cut the wood does not float, when thoroughly dry it would not be difficult to float it with a lighter species.

The timber was reported as satinwood and worth 3d. to 1s. per superficial foot in the Liverpool market in 1906, and that moderate quantities (of fair length and squares) would be taken.

Pterocarpus esculentus (Schum. and Thon.). Edible-fruited Padouk. Gbingbindo (Yoruba); Akpanagya, Uruhe (Benin); Nja (Efik).

It is one of the most common waterside trees of all the Southern Provinces of Nigeria; some of the rivers on the banks of which it is found are the Ovia, Ogun and Cross River. Belonging to the mixed deciduous forest zone, it is in the middle reaches of these rivers where it is most prevalent.

A typical feature of this small tree is the bright, yellow-coloured flower, which quite brightens up the banks of the rivers at the end of February or March. Another most peculiar feature is the odd, somewhat kidney-shaped fruit with its rough surface corrugations, containing inside a hardish nut about 1 inch in diameter. Either the nuts or the fruit are often seen floating down the rivers, especially where they are tidal. The leaves are more typical of the Pterocarps, otherwise the fruit is most unlike either those of the genus or even of the family. The bole of the tree is short, smooth and almost silver-grey in colour, though it is often discoloured with the mud from the perennial floods of the river. It is usually seen with more than one stem.

The timber is white and not over-hard. It is not very durable.

The tree is not very fast-growing, but is an evergreen, with a short period in which nearly all the leaves fall. It serves a most useful purpose in holding the banks of the streams wherever it is found, and it is noticeable that its roots appear to extend a long way back and that it is one of the last trees to be washed out by floods. It sprouts fairly well from the stump when cut, unless it is almost at once submerged by the floods, which points to the fact that it should be cut only at the beginning or towards the end of the dry season. Natural regeneration appears to be fair, but no plantations have been tried with this tree.

The nuts have not been examined to see what they contain, though they are of nutritive value.

For export it does not yield large timber, and for local use it is rather small, but for local huts it might occasionally be used where other timber is scarce, as in the dry zone. It makes a fair firewood in those places. Although the fruit is supposed to be edible, very few natives have tried it, and apparently it is only used in times of great scarcity.

To face p. 272.

Pterocarpus Osun. African Padouk or Barwood. Osun, Osun dudu (Yoruba); Ume, Ureben (Benin); Opepe (Ikala, Ijor).

It is found in the Ogoja and Calabar provinces of Nigeria, in the mixed deciduous forest zone, where it is none too prevalent. A specimen was found near Ibami, in the Obubra district. It is a small tree with small yellow flowers and rather small leaves. The branches are placed close together and the crown is very dark and thick. The bole is short, rarely exceeding 15 feet in length, and the bark a dark brown colour. The bole reaches a girth of about 5 feet.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood of a dull-red colour, but in proportion the sapwood is rather wide. It is moderately hard, fairly durable, but not termite-proof. It planes well, saws easily, takes nails; it does not split very well.

It is a somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration does not appear to be very good. It is doubtful if it sprouts from the stump. It has not been cut for export, nor has it been felled for local use.

On the Cross River the Camwood was sold to the European merchants, at the rate of 409 billets per ton, for £4 10s., so that with the added cost of river and ocean freight and sale charges, there was no profit when it was being sold at £6 10s. per ton in the Liverpool market. Better prices are always secured if it is shipped in squared logs, 24 inches square and 24 to 30 feet in length.

Apparently it is not the Camwood used by the natives, because plenty of trees are seen scattered about in the neighbourhood of Obubra untouched.

Pterocarpus erinaceus. African Rosewood. Apepe, Ara (Yoruba); Oyo, Upeka (Benin).

This tree grows in the dry-zone savannah forests of the Ogoja province of Nigeria. It is of small size; the flowers, which are yellow, appear in March. The timber is of little value, the tree not being large enough to yield a useful timber, but it has been sold as African Rosewood. It has a beautiful rose-red colour.

Pterocarpus sp. So-called Camwood. Osun pupa (Yoruba); Akume (Benin); also spineless fruited Camwood.

It is found in the Calabar, Ogoja, Benin and Ondo provinces of Nigeria. On the bank of the Cross River, near the Ossizza factory, there is a large specimen, standing about 20 feet away from the water’s edge.

It is not very common, and chiefly found near river banks in the evergreen forest towards their northern limit. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a girth of 9 feet at the most and a height of 70 feet. The bole length does not exceed 40 feet. The bark is light-brown, almost yellow-brown, with rough fissures and fibrous surface, more like an elm, though thinner. The branches are thin and light-coloured. In flower the tree is a mass of little yellow peaflowers, and numerous bees swarm round the crown of the tree, indicating its presence. Again, when the fruit ripens the crown is a mass of yellow-brown winged fruits all fluttering in the wind. They are always in bunches near the ends of the twigs. The fruit is round and flat, with no hairs on it, with a thin papery wing completely surrounding and joined to it, which makes it rather thicker and stiffer than the other species. It is not at all typical of the Pterocarpus genus. The seed in the centre has a rough surface. The trunk usually is not quite straight, having a slight bend or two in its length. In habit, more like a Combretum or young elm to look at. The crown is round, almost spherical, and does not usually occupy more than one-third of the height of the tree.

The sapwood is white; the heartwood is of a dull purply colour, which is inclined to stain into the sapwood after the tree is cut down and exposed to rain. On the whole the colour of the wood is deeper than that of the other Pterocarpus, but it is said to yield a less fast and poorer coloured red dye than that of the other species, P. Osun. It is moderately hard. It planes well, and is sometimes cross-grained. It takes nails easily, but does not split very well, though it saws with comparative ease.

Although it stands a good deal of shade in its youth, it is apparently a light-demanding tree with soil-protecting and soil-improving qualities. It is not very fast-growing. Natural regeneration appears to be poor, chiefly, perhaps, owing to the fact that the seeds are quickly eaten by small boring insects soon after they fall to the ground. It is rather exacting as to soil, and prefers the deep, moist, sandy loam. Only isolated specimens are seen.

The timber has not been exported yet, and despite the fact that it does not reach such a large size as P. Osun, it deserves a trial. For local use it should find a place for house construction in a similar position to which the Osun and others are used by the natives.

It has not been cut or used as a dye root, chiefly owing to its poorer colour. It is, however, used in house-building.

Pterocarpus. Cross River Camwood.

It is found in the Obubra district of the Calabar province of Nigeria. In habit it is very similar to the other Camwoods.

Pterocarpus Soyauxii. Large Fruited Camwood. Arakpa, Ume (Benin); Ukpa (Efik).

It is found in the Ogoja, Benin, Warri (?), Ondo, Ibadan (?) and Abeokuta (?) provinces of Nigeria.

It is a common tree in the mixed deciduous forests, reaching a height of 80 to 100 feet, with a bole length of 50 feet and a girth of 10 feet. The bark is a darker colour than P. Osun, but a little rougher. The leaf is smaller than P. Osun, but is unarmed. The most typical difference in this tree is the fruit, which is the largest of all, 2½ to 3 inches in diameter, with plenty of prickly thorns in the centre of each surface. The wood is a much darker red, quite a dull, almost purple red. The root spurns on the whole extend higher up the trunk than P. Osun (up to 4 feet). The slash is white, but thin red latex soon exudes out of it.

The wood is hardish, but the sapwood is very white and soft. The wood does not make the same kind of stain as P. Osun, though apparently it keeps its colour much better than P. Osun. When exposed to light, P. Osun loses it very quickly and becomes a dull-brown colour. The grain is open and varies a little in colour, giving it a pleasing effect. Termites do not attack it. It splits well.

It sprouts from the stump slightly, but such shoots do not attain any size. Seedlings come up readily from fallen seeds. The seeds are liable to be eaten by the “ground pig” almost at once. It grows moderately quickly, but is a light-lover. It has an undivided stem.

Samples were sent to Liverpool in 1916 and sold as African Padauk, and it was reported that “small quantities sell” satisfactorily. It has been cut for local use for buildings.

Native Use.—It is used for making wooden shovels, all out of one piece. Also in house-building as wall-plates at the top of the mud walls, also in the Oba’s house for uprights.

Erythrophlœum sp. Sasswood. Inyi (Benin).

This tree was determined from material from the Central Circle.

Erythrophlœum Guineense. Sasswood, or Sassy Bark, or Ordeal Bark. Erun obo (Yoruba); Oginyi (Benin); Akpa Etuidiwi (Efik); Arachi (Ibo, Asaba); Inyi, Ibo (Onitsha, Ibo, Owerri).

It is found in the Ibadan, Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Onitsha and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria in the mixed deciduous forest zone, where it is often very prevalent, more especially north of Ifon and Alabeta in the Benin province.

It is a large tree, reaching a girth of over 10 feet and a bole length of over 30 feet. The crown, however, is large and wide-spreading, but generally spherical in shape. Comparatively low down, the bole divides up into three or four main limbs. The trunk is seldom very straight, usually having a twist in one direction or another. The root spurns are moderately large, but are rounded in shape. The bark is dark-brown and thick, scaling off to a slight extent in old age. The fruit is a pod about 3 inches long and an inch wide, containing six or eight flattish black beans, black to brown. These burst when ripe, but the seeds only gradually fall to the ground. The fine pinnate leaves are close together and open out into dense foliage most typical of the Leguminoseæ. The upper part of the limbs and trunk is light-brown. The flowers are minute and not often seen.

The sapwood is dull yellow and the heartwood a dull red-brown. It is very heavy and hard, but not as hard as red ironwood or the Yoruba ironwood. It is very durable and quite termite-proof; although sometimes a little cross-grained, with good tools it can be worked up to a smooth finish by planing. Holes have to be made in it for nails. It saws well, but splits only moderately easily. In the saw mill it was found that the hardness of the wood blunted the saws, which needed constantly sharpening.

It is a slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting, soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration appears to be good, and it is moderately resistant to fire. Tends to condense dew in the dry season. It suppresses most other trees by shade. Amongst the dry-zone vegetation it clings to the banks of rivers, and is common on the upper banks of the upper reaches of the Ogun. No plantations have been made with this tree.

In 1906 sample logs of the sister tree, E. micranthum, were exported and sold in the Liverpool market as a species of oak, so that this timber deserves a trial as a substitute for teak or oak.

It was cut for the Public Works Department at Onitsha and found very suitable for decking of bridges. The small bridge over the Nkissi, near Onitsha, was built entirely with this timber.

Erythrophlœum micranthum. Sasswood or Ordeal Bark. Ovinni (Benin); Erinji (Ijor); Ihi (Ibo, Owerri).

It is found in the Warri, Benin and Calabar provinces of Nigeria.

As a small tree, one of the first to appear when the mangrove swamp gives way to the evergreen rain forest near the coast. On solid land it attains a large size, even larger than that of E. Guineense. The pod is a little larger than that of E. Guineense, and the bark smoother. The crown is dense and very large, almost spherical in shape, and reaching more than one-third down the length of the tree.

The timber is very similar in its qualities to E. Guineense, but has a straighter grain in the larger specimens. It is very durable.

It is a slow-growing, shade-bearing tree, with soil-protecting and soil-improving qualities. Natural regeneration does not appear to be very good, though numerous pods are borne on the tree almost every year. No plantations have yet been made with it.

For local use, it has not been cut in a similar way to E. Guineense. The natives occasionally use this tree for making canoes. In the 1906 timber report from the Liverpool market it was valued as a species of oak at 1s. 9d. per cubic foot, and was not considered so good as either red oak, Lophira procera, or white oak, Ostryoderris impressa.

Native Use.—The bark is boiled in water and a beautiful red-coloured liquid is produced. It is administered as an ordeal trial for witchcraft, and is not poisonous if given in large doses.

Brachystegia spicæformis. Agberigeddi, Ako (Yoruba); Okkwan (Benin); Etare (Oban, Ekoi); Ungu (Ibo, Owerri); Mpanju, Akpanya, Ikpanya (Efik).

This tree is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan (?), Ondo, Benin, Warri, Owerri, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria.

It is a rough, scaly-barked tree of huge size (see illustration), reaching a girth of 30 feet and a height of 150 feet. The crown is flattish, formed by a few wide-spreading limbs and numerous small branches. The foliage is moderate for a Leguminous tree. The yellowish flowers are almost unseen, being placed underneath the leaves. The dark-brown woody pods burst with a bang not unlike a gunshot, and release four or five flat black, shiny beans about ½ inch across. The foliage goes almost black on reaching the ground, killing all the small plants. A brownish gum exudes from the tree when cut, and this hardens into a reddish, opaque mass similar to Almeidina, and in fact is the source of this gutta percha-like substance.

Timber.—It is a rather hard, light-brown wood with pretty, almost evenly distributed streaks of darker brown shade in it. It is very durable. The white sapwood soon rots on exposure to the weather. It is suitable as a furniture wood.

Silvicultural Characteristics.—It bears a good deal of shade. It reproduces almost every year plentiful mature seed; grows fast, but not so rapidly as the cotton-tree, Ricinodendron and others. It is sometimes distinctly gregarious, as, for instance, south-west of Benin City.

European Use.—It has not been exported, but the P.W.D. have used it for verandah-posts and planks. It has been much admired for the good colour of the wood and the streaky grain.

Native Use.—By the Benin people it is not considered a good wood, but the gum is sometimes used.

Daniellia ogea. Gum Copal. Ogea (Yoruba); Ogea (Benin); Udeni (Ibo, Owerri); Mpanju, Ikpanya, Akpanya (Efik). Also known as D. oblonga and Cyanothyrsus ogea, but now called D. ogea.

This tree is found growing in the heavy-rain intermediary forest of Benin, Ondo country and Mamu Reserve. It is a very fine tree with straight rounded bole, often reaching a height of 120 feet before the first branch. The bark is light grey and slightly ringed. The flowers blue and not very noticeable.

Timber.—Of no commercial value, as it is soft and rots quickly.

Uses.—A good gum copal is obtained from it, the best in the ground, after the tree has rotted. It is used for varnish making; worth 30s. to 60s. a hundredweight.

Daniellia Fosteri. Gum Copal. Oguja or Ogea (Yoruba).

Found near Olokemeji and Ijebu-Ode. It yields a third-quality resin according to Holland in The Useful Plants of Nigeria.

Daniellia Punchii (Kew). Gum Copal. Ajia (Yoruba).

Daniellia caudata. Benin Gum Copal. Mogbara, Ashuwole (Yoruba); Ogea (Benin); Agbara (Ikale.)

It is found in the Ondo, Benin and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. The bole is the straightest and most cylindrical of any of the African forest trees. It often attains a height of over 100 feet before the first branches are reached. The cylindrical shape is further enhanced by the few quite concentric rings on the bark, horizontally arranged round the trunk of the tree. The bark is otherwise quite smooth and of a silvery-green or light-green colour; for the size of the tree it is very thin, and the tree may reach a girth of 25 feet, and the bark then is usually only ½ to ¾ inch thick. The slash is yellowish-white; the sapwood is white and scarcely distinguishable from the heartwood, which gradually takes a pinkish tinge when it is dry. The flowers are blue and not unlike those of the fuchsia, and the tree is easily seen at the end of the dry season by the bare crown with its blue flowers. The path later on is covered with these. There are practically no root spurns, the stem emerging straight away from the ground. The crown is very flat, and does not usually occupy more than one-fifth of the total height of the tree. The branches are few and of slight and almost feathery build. The timber is soft, not durable nor termite- proof. It saws easily, does not split very well, and considering its softness it does not plane at all well nor with a very smooth surface. Natural reproduction by seed appears to be poor, although plenty of seeds seem to ripen; there is one seed in each pod. It is a light- loving, deciduous tree, but for eleven months of the year it is certainly a soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. It demands a deep, moist and somewhat rich soil, though judging by the various localities in which it is found it is doubtful if it is really exacting as to soil.

In 1906 sample logs of this timber were sent to the Liverpool market and considered to be a species of mahogany, but of no value. Natives have not used it to any extent for local purposes.

Piptadenia Africana. Light African Greenheart. Agboin (Yoruba); Sanga (New Calabar); Iteruku (Efik); Ebbome (Oban, Ekoi); Ekhimi (Benin).

This is a common tree in the Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Warri, Owerri, Onitsha, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. It is one of the most prevalent trees in the evergreen forests, but is also found in the mixed deciduous forests, especially, in both cases, near the edges of the waterways. It is a very large tree, attaining a height of over 120 feet and a girth of over 12 feet. The bole is often 80 or 90 feet in length and perfectly straight. The crown is thin, ovally flat, but wide-spreading. The thick, heavily foliaged and drooping appearance at the ends of the branches makes the tree a most handsome ornament to a station. At the root, flanges are comparatively long and widespreading, reaching often over 6 feet up the stem, having root spurns quite 12 or 15 feet away from the tree. The stem divides up into a few large branches which form the crown; the bark is yellow- brown and smooth, but when the tree is growing in the sunlight it becomes a much lighter colour and sometimes almost grey. The slash is yellow, with a light-brown tinge; the flowers are quite inconspicuous when they appear in January or February, being formed of little narrow spikes. One of the most conspicuous features of this tree is the thin, flat pod, which may grow as much as 1 foot long and nearly 1 inch broad. Six to eight seeds are contained in each pod, and these, including the wing, are 2 inches in length. The flat seed, which is found in the centre, is brown and shiny, and is only about one- sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch in thickness. It has a tiny string- like attachment to the centre, which distinguishes it from Newtonia on the one hand and Cylicodiscus on the other. The young green foliage is also most distinctive and attractive in its freshly salmon-pink colour, also the greenish tips of the older leaves. The leaves themselves are bipinnate; there are often twenty to twenty-four pairs of pinnæ, each of which is about half an inch long.

The sapwood is white and comparatively wide; the heartwood is a pretty light-brown colour, a little darker when fresh, but still retaining a good light-brown colour when it is dry. Although at first rather heavy and hard, it seasons as a comparatively light and scarcely hard wood; it planes well and saws fairly easily; takes nails moderately well, but does not split at all easily, especially when fresh; has an open grain and the pores are comparatively long. It is a durable wood and is almost termite-proof, especially when it is quite dry. When moderately dry the logs float in water. It weighs 53 pounds per cubic foot.

It is a light-loving species which does not protect or improve the soil, except in so far as it is a leguminous tree and its roots thus improve the ground. It is a moderately rapidly growing tree which stands a little shade in its youth. Natural regeneration appears to be only moderate. It sprouts well from the stump, and stump shoots appear to be very persistent. It is rather sensitive to fire and is easily killed by placing rubbish near its roots and then burning the heap. No plantations have yet been formed for this tree. In the forest the seeds fall to the ground and are soon eaten by a small boring insect. It likes a comparatively good soil, but is found on sandy soil which has great moisture; it does not like flooding, but will stand a little.

Locally, it is occasionally used as a house-building timber. The bark is occasionally chipped off for use medicinally. Europeans have cut it up and used it as verandah-posts, joists and verandah handrails. However, in an unseasoned state the sapwood was attacked by termites, and thus it was not entirely satisfactory. The heartwood when quite dry does not warp and appears to be very durable.

In 1906 sample logs of this timber were sold in the Liverpool market as “Greenheart” at 2s. 9d. per cubic foot. Since that date no regular supplies have been sent to the market, so that it has not been thoroughly tested as to its value as an export timber.

Isoberlinia Doka (Kew).

It is found in the Ogoja, Abeokuta and Owerri provinces of Nigeria.

It is a medium-sized tree with rather large, widespreading pinnate leaves. It is one of the few trees that are gregarious in habit, groups from half an acre to an acre in extent being found. The tree is used for house-building and withstands a certain amount of fire, as it grows at the edge of the dry-zone forest.

Berlinia acuminata. Red Oak. Apado (Abeokuta), Ewon Pala (Ikale), Adugbin (Ibadan) (Yoruba); Ekpagoi (Benin); Ajia (Ibo, Asaba); Obuba (New Calabar); Hanabali (Oban, Ekoi).

This is a common tree in all the Southern Provinces of Nigeria. Although it is found most frequently in the evergreen forest zone, a small, bush-like variety is also found in the open deciduous forest. The most conspicuous features of this tree are the large foot-shaped unripe pods; these stick out, isolated, at right angles to the general direction of the surface of the ground—this makes them appear all the more prominent and most odd in appearance. When the pods burst, the large flat beans are released, and each side of the pod curls up, but appears speckled white with round dull spots along the middle. The flowers are white, nearly 2 inches across, with one red streak in the centre. In the evergreen forest zone these flowers do not seem so conspicuous, but in the dry zone the tree is covered with blossom, making it one of the most beautiful. In the heavy forest zone the bole reaches the length of nearly 80 feet and the girth of over 20. With its smooth, shiny grey bark, at the first glance it is not unlike a beech-tree. The root spurns are usually quite small, and do not extend beyond 2 feet up the stem. The slash is white and of a yellow colour on the inner edge. The leaves are pinnate, with one odd leaf at the end, being usually nearly 3 inches long; the total length of the leaf is often over 1 foot. The freshly ripened beans are almost square in shape, flat, and nearly a quarter of an inch thick. Each side of the pod is usually the size of an average man’s foot, and sometimes larger; it is also not unlike it in shape, but the curve where the instep should be is very slight. The crown is spherical and very large, often occupying one-third of the total height of the tree. The foliage is comparatively dense, and it is not possible to see through the top of it. The tree loses its leaves for a very short time each year. In the dry zone it is often not much more than a shrub, or at most a small tree 35 feet in height.

The sapwood is white and wide. The heartwood is of a deep-red colour, especially when freshly cut; when dry it still retains a good red colour, and from this feature it has been termed “red” oak. The timber saws fairly well, but splits badly; it is somewhat hard to plane it up to a smooth surface, as it is sometimes cross-grained. The heartwood is termite-proof; it takes nails only moderately well. It is a moderately hard and durable wood; it does not warp very much. When the logs are dry they will float in water. The weight of the timber is 55 pounds per cubic foot.

Considering the prevalence of the tree, natural regeneration is poor—rodents may account, of course, for many of the beans; it sprouts well from the stump. In the dry-zone forest region root suckers appear too. It is a shade-bearing and soil-improving tree; it does not grow very fast. No plantations have yet been made with this tree, though it deserves a place in experimental plantations. It demands a good soil, and the roots go down to a greater depth than many of the other trees.

Locally it is used as a house-building timber, and occasionally the dried pods are used as firewood.

In 1906 sample logs of this tree were sold in the Liverpool market as red oak at 2s. per cubic foot. It was not considered as good as Aligna or as Erumacie. Since that date no further shipments of this timber have been made. A further testing of the market by small trial shipments of logs would thoroughly reveal its value as an export timber.

Berlinia auriculata (Benth.). Red Oak. Ekpagoize (Benin).

Found near the Okwo River in the Siluko sub-district of the Benin province. It is not quite such a large species as the B. acuminata.

Parkia biglobosa. African Locust. Aridan Abatta, Irugbo Abatta Iru (Yoruba); Ubgori, Lakobemi, Enymi (Benin); Inya (New Calabar); Ekok (Oban, Ekoi).

It is a very common tree in the Calabar, Owerri, Warri, Benin, Ondo (?) and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a large tree, with wide spreading fruit flanges. It has darker and heavier foliage and a wider crown than Parkia filicoidea. It often shows up on river banks with its light-red young leaves. It should be easily distinguished from other similar trees of this family by its cluster of beans, similar to French beans, when ripe. These are yellow, and the spice-like scent and the round balls of staminate flowers of a crushed strawberry colour are not easily forgotten. Often only the yellow pistil is found lying on the path. It likes a damp to wet soil, and is usually found growing at the edge of, or actually in, freshwater swamps.

Timber.—The wood is hardish, but is said to rot easily, though it appears to be rather doubtful, and probably only applies to unseasoned wood.

Natural regeneration by seed is good. The tree stands a good deal of shade in its younger stages of growth. No other trees will grow under it, and few can stand any or much of its shade.

European Use.—It has not so far been used by Europeans for export or local use.

Native Use.—The seeds are cooked and eaten to some extent by the Yorubas and Benin people.

Parkia filicoidea. African Locust. Irugba (Yoruba name for fruit); Igba the tree (Yoruba); Gumui (Mendi); Olibracha (Egba) (Yoruba).

This is a common tree in Abeokuta, Oyo, Benin, and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. It is found in the deciduous forests. It reaches a height of over 60 feet, with a girth of 5 feet. One of the most distinguishing features of this tree are the very feathery leaves, which appear after the flowers. The large spherical balls of the red staminate flowers enliven the tree in the early part of the year; later in the year masses of pods, each about 9 inches long, hang down from the ends of the twigs. The base of the bole is often gnarled, partly with the slight root flanges and by the almost continual cutting of the bark by the natives. Normally the bark is brown and comparatively smooth. The bole is short, dividing about 20 feet from the ground into a large number of small branches. On the whole, as the tree advances in age the branches tend to become pendulous. The crown, spherical in shape, is inclined to be irregularly broken up—partly by the different length of the branches.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood a dull-brown colour; for the size of the tree the sapwood is wide. It saws indifferently well, splits badly; it is hard to plane; it is said to be termite-proof. The wood is hard and tough.

The tree is a light-loving but not soil-improving species, except in so far as the root globules take up nitrogen and free it for the use of other plants. Naturally, generation is none too good. Root suckers appear to some extent; it sprouts most readily from the stump. Perhaps the lack of young self-sown seedlings is due to the fact that the seeds are largely used by the natives. In a few places small plantations have been made with this tree. It is very fire-resisting, and apparently the fruit-bearing capacity of the tree is not reduced to any extent by the prevalence of the annual grass-fires in the localities where it is found. During the whole of its life it is a slow-growing tree.

The yellow pulp in the pods is eaten by the natives. The bark at the base of the tree is chipped off and used for making a tonic when infused with water. The tree is occasionally used locally as a house- building timber; for this purpose it is used chiefly as uprights in the main buildings.

The timber has not been tried for export, and it is doubtful whether its size warrants its use for this purpose.

Tetrapleura Thonningii. Angular Pod. Aridan (Yoruba); Igmikkia (fruit), Ikhememi (tree) (Benin); Osshosha (Ibo, Asaba).

The dark-green feathery foliage on its oval crown is very typical of this tree, especially when it is found near a roadside in the mixed forests. It is also often found on river banks at the edge of the dry zone or in other parts of the mixed forests. The indehiscent pods with four edges, leaving practically no centre, are most typical of the tree; they are shiny and have a peculiar medicinal smell. The fruit is known as Igmikkia, by which name the tree is most usually called by Europeans, in the Benin country.

The tree is prevalent in the Abeokuta, Ondo, Oyo, Benin, Onitsha, Owerri, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria.

It is a shade-bearer and thoroughly protects the ground all the year round, except for about two weeks when the leaves fall. Natural regeneration does not appear to be good, seedlings being rarely found, and no plantations have been made with it, though if of more value it might be mixed with teak. The seeds always command a ready sale at a low price.

The wood is hard, brown, and splits badly. No use has yet been found for it. It is sometimes cross-grained, the sapwood white.

The natives use the timber for making doors, window-frames and benches. The seeds are sold in the Yoruba, Benin and Ibo markets; they are cooked for soup, which acts as a slight aperient or is of other medicinal value.

Millettia Thonningii (Baker). Ito (Yoruba); Ebakwe (Benin).

It is found in the Benin and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. It is a small tree really, reaching a girth of only 4 feet, with a short bole and a few somewhat slender and drooping branches. The twigs and new leaves are distinctly of weeping habit. In February, in the mixed forest, the bare tree shows up with its beautiful clusters of lilac- coloured, pea-shaped flowers, and later in delicate contrast to the fresh, light-green leaves. The trunk is usually not quite straight, being bent about 8 or 10 feet from the ground. The bark is smooth, thin, and almost of a silvery-grey colour. The branches are very whippy and difficult to break.

Timber.—The wide sapwood is white and the narrow heartwood green- brown when freshly cut. It is very hard, of fine grain and texture, and planes with a smooth surface. It does not split; is very rough and flexible.

It is a shade-bearer and grows slowly. The fruit is a small black and pointed pod which opens when ripe, having about three or four beans inside. It is easily killed by fire, but sprouts freely from the stool. It does not crack nor warp.

It has not been exported nor cut for local use, but it should be a good wood for turnery.

Native Use.—It is used for knives and axe-handles.

To face p. 284.

Cynometra Afzelii. Waterside Cynometra. Akushunmajadin, Alade (Ikale); Iku (seeds), Aka, Eggi (Yoruba); Ogabezzi, Ogikiomi Upakeka (Benin).

It is a common tree in the Benin province of Nigeria. On the whole it is smaller than C. Mannii, though it has a similar habit. It grows, too, in similar localities, though for the most part it is confined to the evergreen forest zone. It also grows more or less in gregarious groups. The shade of this species is just as dense, if not denser than that of the foregoing. The leaf of the Cynometra is distinguishable from most other leaves because the mid-rib of it is placed towards the inner or almost straight-sided edge of the leaf. In fact, if two leaves are held closely together, they almost look as if they were one which had been cut in half. Benin natives have no use for this tree except as firewood.

Cynometra Mannii. Waterside Cynometra. Ekkun (Yoruba).

It is a common tree on the banks of streams in the Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. One of the most characteristic features of this tree is the pinkish-red colour of the fresh leaves, hanging at the ends of the drooping branches. In November each year the large, corrugated, single bean in each almost indehiscent pod is another curious feature of this tree. The trunk is usually short—in fact, often divided into three or four separate stems, almost at the base. Narrow fringes consisting almost entirely of this species are found on river banks. The dense shade cast by this tree prevents any other species from growing underneath. The timber is hard and difficult to split, and apparently it is not attacked by white ants. The tree is a shade-bearer. Natural reproduction from the seed is good, it being distributed often by water. It also sprouts from the stump. A few root shoots also appear. The tree has not been cut for local use nor has it been used for export. The natives use the wood for making posts and doors.

Cylicodiscus Gabunensis. African Greenheart. Osho, Aja, Iji (Il.), Ajaigi (Yoruba); Okan (Benin).

Distribution.—In the Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Warri, Owerri, Calabar provinces of Nigeria.

Chief Characteristics.—It is a very large tree of the evergreen forest zone, attaining a height of 200 feet and a girth of 30 feet. It is armed in its earlier growth up to the pole stage, when all the brown thorns disappear. Its long, brown pods, up to 3 feet long and 1½ inches wide, opening from one side only, with their long, thin, papery seeds, are most typical of the tree.

Compared to its size the bark is thin, and in old age it is inclined to scale off in small pieces. In the distance it looks practically smooth. This is one of the most gigantic and impressive trees of the forest, with its enormous bole stretching cylindrically up amongst and over the other trees, with a large, widespreading, somewhat flatly shaped spherical crown. The leaves are pinnate, with three of four pairs of little ovate pinnæ, with one odd one at the end. The flowers are minute, forming little, thin, knitting-needle-thick spikes of yellow bloom. These last only a few days, and only once in thirteen years have I seen the flower. The tree and pod are unmistakable, even when it is a large one. The numerous brown pods hang down amongst the foliage and appear to be much longer than those of any other Leguminous tree. This feature alone distinguishes it from any similar species. The bole divides up into a few large limbs and many small branches, making the foliage lighter and thinner than many other Leguminous trees, but not so thin as that of Piptadenia Africana. The root spurns are very slight and rounded, merging into the bole of the tree 1 foot to 3 feet above the surface of the ground. At the base of the bole the bark is sometimes cut off by the natives for “Ju-ju” purposes, and then an additional swelling appears there.

The sapwood is white and narrow, the heartwood greenish-brown when fresh, and yellowish-brown after it has lain in the forest for a few years. It is very hard—in fact, one of the very hardest of African timbers. Under cover it is very durable. In the open it does not last so long. It is termite-proof. The sapwood, however, rots in the open, and the heartwood softens very considerably. It is somewhat fibrous, but it planes up well, with a smooth surface. It does not take nails, saws well, and splits moderately well. It has considerable elasticity. It makes a very hot-burning firewood, but is inclined to crackle and make sparks.

It is a moderately fast-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration appears to be fair, but the seeds are often eaten by little boring insects, soon after they fall to the ground. It appears to be rather exacting as to soil, liking a deep, moist loam sand with good drainage. It is scarcely a fire- resisting tree, but very storm firm—in fact, one of the safest trees.

In 1906 sample logs of this tree were sold in the Liverpool market as African Greenheart at 1s. 8d. per cubic foot, and were stated to be good greenheart. Since then none has been cut or shipped to England. With the exception of its use for verandah-posts for a public building in Benin city, it has not been cut or sawn up in planks for local use. Considering the comparatively large quantity available, it deserves a fair trial both for export and local use, more especially for heavy constructional work, such as bridges, piles, uprights.

Amongst the Benis it is sometimes a “Ju-ju” tree, and is said to impart strength.

Leptoderris.

Owerri province of Nigeria. It is a medium-sized tree found growing near the Imo River, but not very common. It has a hard wood.

Baphia nitida (Afz.). Awenu or Irosun. Borri Borri (Yoruba); Otwa (Benin); Ubara (Efik).

Is a small tree, which is usually found near villages, being left by the natives when land is cleared. The white flowers are almost of pea shape. It has a small leaf, and does not usually get any larger than about four inches in diameter.

It is found in the Ondo, Abeokuta, Benin and Calabar provinces of Nigeria.

The real Camwood of commerce.

It is very slow-growing, and is not a hard wood, with dark-red heartwood of small size in proportion to the size of tree. It forms late, too. If the stem is wounded, even the sapwood becomes a rich red colour like the heartwood.

The probable origin of the word “Camwood” is taken from the Timani name, Cam, of the Baphia nitida tree in Sierra Leone. From another point of view this is all the more interesting, as the original exports of Camwood were made from Sierra Leone in the early part of the nineteenth century, and this name “Cam” brings together the tree from which the Camwood is obtained and the tree botanically known as Baphia nitida.

Native Use.—A piece of the wood and a leaf are placed on the ground where a woman has borne a child, whether it be on a road or in the house. Not used in Benin as a dyewood.

Baphia polygalacea. Walking-stick Camwood. Asana, Ossusu (Yoruba); Aswen (Benin); Mbomokuku (Efik).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Benin and Calabar provinces of Nigeria.

A small tree of typical Baphia habit, which is common in parts of the Benin district of the same named province. It has considerable elasticity, though it dries rather hard and does not give much in that state. It is a rather slow-growing tree, which lights the shade of the forest, and is also a soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration appears to be good in several places. It sprouts slightly from the stump, when felled. No plantations have yet been made with this tree. The walking-sticks have not been exported to England for trial in the market.

The curiously shaped single root, sticking out almost at right angles to the stem, makes a good walking-stick; it is curved as well slightly, too. When the bark is peeled off and the stem partially charred, it looks very effective.

Baphia pubescens. Benin Camwood. Awewi (Lagos) (Yoruba); Ositwa (Benin).

It is a small tree, 30 feet high and 3 feet in girth, with usually half the bole sapwood white, and dark-red heartwood, which is hard and close-grained. The flowers are white, with yellow tips to the two petals. It is often seen just outside villages, or where two paths meet.

Native Use.—It is not used for dye, though apparently the wood is just as suitable as B. nitida.

Baphia sp. Camwood. Mogbara (Yoruba, Ikale); Owe, Aswen (Benin).

It has also been determined as Carpolobia lutea, and as one of the Oleaceæ.

It is a shrub with a stem of about 4 feet in height. The fruit is a small nut containing three small kernels. The wood is very hard.

Native Use.—The seeds are eaten.

Macrolobium palisoti. Ogaba (Benin); Nya (Efik).

It is a common tree of the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ondo, Warri, Benin, Owarri and Calabar provinces of Nigeria. It only reaches a girth of about 2 feet and a height of 20 feet. The leaf has two pairs of pinnæ, with one end leaflet. The small pod containing two or three flat seeds is most typical of this tree; the seeds are ¾ inch in diameter and of a dark-brown colour; the flowers are white; the timber is cross- grained and rather hard; the sapwood is white and the heartwood of a dark brown. The tree is a shade-bearer, soil-protecting and improving. It is usually found amongst the undergrowth in the thicker parts of the evergreen forest zone. Natural regeneration is usually good. The wood is used locally in the Yoruba and Benin country for posts; it has not been sawn up for planks, nor has it been exported to England.

Macrolobium stipulaceæ.

It was stated it was found in the Calabar province.

Nr. Macrolobium sp. Ogabeszi (Benin).

It is found in the Benin province of Nigeria. It is a small tree of the evergreen forest zone. The foliage is very dense. The tree has a short bole of about 15 feet, and the crown is much branched; the pod is rather larger than Macrolobium palisoti. According to the natives, this is the “Ogaba” of the waterside. The timber has not been exported to Europe, nor do the natives use this somewhat hard wood to any extent.

Dialium Guineense. Pulley Wood, Velvet Tamarind. Awin (Ib.) (Yoruba); Ohiorme (Benin); Amoyin (Egba).

It is found in the Ibadan, Abeokuta, Benin, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. In the mixed deciduous forests it is very prevalent in certain localities. Of medium size, it rarely exceeds a girth of 5 feet. Where found, it often comprises over 10 per cent. of the standing stock of the forest.

The wood is used for small boats in Senegal. It exudes a red-coloured sap in small quantities.

The fruit, with its flat and round, velvety little pods, is most typical of this tree. These are of a very dark chocolate colour, and in the distance appear almost black. The bole is usually silver-grey. The slash is light-red, and the reddish, latex-like substance exudes when the bark is cut. The crown is dense and compressed, being mainly made up of a number of small branches. In proportion the leaves are small and make a very dense foliage. The rusty-red slashing marks, or other marks caused by damage to the trunk of the tree, show up most distinctively, especially against the grey surface of the cortex, are one of the most distinguishing features of this tree.

The sapwood is white, the heartwood is dull-red, rather larger in proportion than we should suspect, compared with the size of the tree. It is hard and tough, and does not split well. It planes up, however, with a smooth surface, is very durable and termite-proof. It does not take nails well, but saws fairly easily.

It is a somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration appears to be good. It appears to be a little exacting in regard to soil. It is slightly fire-resisting, chiefly, perhaps, owing to the fact that few weeds or grass grow in its shade. No plantations have been made of this tree. It bears a good crop of fruit almost every year.

It has not been felled for export, nor has the timber been sawn up for local use. It was formerly used in the Congo for pulley-blocks, for which purpose it is said to be admirably suited. Amongst the natives it is sometimes used for house-building.

Nr. Newtonia. Boji Albizzia or Giant Pod.

It is rather an uncommon tree of the Boji Hills forest; the enormous flat, papery pod makes it easily distinguishable from any other tree.

The pod is about 15 inches long and 9 inches wide, with a slight depression in the middle of one side.

Pithycolobium altissimum. Bent Pod or Gambia Pod.

It is a medium-sized tree, found at the edge of swamps near the sea coast in the evergreen forest zone. It appears to stand a waterlogged soil.

The pods are used for tanning hides and making ink (Moloney). It has curious semicircular pods, which are typical of the tree, containing eight to ten seeds.

Afzelia sp. Waterside Ekpagoize. Ekpagoize (Benin).

It is found in the Benin province of Nigeria. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a girth of 7 feet and a bole length of 40 feet.

This tree has often been confused botanically with Berlinia acuminata, but it is undoubtedly an Afzelia. The flowers are of a reddish colour and very pretty; the foliage is not quite so heavy as that of the other Afzelias; the pod is rather smaller than that of either Afzelia Africana or Afzelia cuanzensis. The wood is a reddish-brown colour, a little cross-grained, but more durable than the other Afzelias. It does not split well, and can only be planed with difficulty; the grain is very coarse and fibrous. Samples of this timber have been shipped to England and sold as red oak. The natives scarcely ever use the wood, partly because the tree is not very prevalent.

Afzelia cuanzensis. Bilinga, Red-arilled Afzelia. Aiyo (Yoruba); Aligna (Benin); Igbin (Brass); Onuru, Oshoshi (Ibo, Owerri); Mbarakun (Oban, Ekoi).

It is found in the Benin, Ondo, Abeokuta, Calabar, Owerri and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria.

It is a medium-sized tree, with a pod, which is usually slightly crumpled or bent, containing about six or eight black nuts, with a red aril at the base, and each nut is pointed more, and less rounded, than in A. Africana. On the whole it is found more in the deciduous mixed forest than on the edge or in the dry-zone forest region, where A. Africana abounds. The bark does not scale oft so much as that of A. Africana. It stands more shade than A. Africana. It does not reach such large dimensions, though logs up to 18 inches square and 24 feet in length could be obtained.

Up to the present the tree has not been cut to the same extent as A. Africana, though the wood is very similar and apparently just as durable.

No separate report has been made on the timber as to its value in the European markets.

Afzelia bella. Calabar Afzelia. Aligna (Benin).

It is found in the Calabar province of Nigeria. It is more common in the Cameroons.

It is a small tree, with large white flowers with a pretty, reddish streak in each petal. The pod is of usual Afzelia size and appears rather large for the size of the tree. The type specimen stands on the Calabar Golf Course, between the seventh and eighth holes. It is apparently uncommon, though more may be found on closer study of the forests. The fruits appear to have the same qualities as those of other Afzelias. In Nigeria it has so far not been utilized. The bark is not so scaly as that of A. Africana.

Afzelia pachyloba (nov. sp.). Forest Afzelia or Yellow Aril. Apa (Yoruba); Orodo (Benin).

It is a medium-sized tree, with long, pointed nuts with a bright sulphur-coloured aril instead of the orange-colour of Africana or red of Cuanzensis. It does not appear to be such a common tree as A. Africana, but much the same number of trees as that of A. cuanzensis.

It is found in the evergreen forests of Ondo, Benin and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood is brown. It is very hard, almost as hard as Lophira, according to the natives. Self-sown seedlings do not appear in large numbers.

It is used for similar purposes as A. Africana. It is a shade- bearing and soil-improving tree.

No separate report has been made on the timber, and so far it has not been exported to the English markets.

This may be the tree which yielded the so-called teak in the Benin forests some years ago, and fetched a price of 5d. per foot superficial.

The bark scales off in a similar way to Afzelia Africana.

Afzelia bracteata (T. Vogel). Benin Bilinga. Ekpagoize (Benin).

It has a red flower, is found in the Benin province, but is apparently rather rare.

The Benin name indicates that it is the Ekpagoi or Berlinia of the waterside. It is usually found near or on the bank of a stream. It is a large tree, which is otherwise similar to the other Afzelias.

The natives have apparently not tried it for building purposes.

Afzelia Africana. Yoruba Bilinga. Apa (Yoruba); Olokokima, Aligna (Benin); Ayibukpo (Efik); Adja, Arachi (Asaba Ibo).

Trade Name.—Bilinga, similar wood from the French Congo, so named for some years.

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ondo, Benin, Owerri, Onitsha and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria.

The round, orange-coloured aril at the base of the black nut is typical of this tree. It sometimes has a reddish tinge, but it is always round and completely surrounds the base of the nut, in contradistinction to A. cuanzensis, in which the aril is red and pointed and much thinner in build.

The spherically-shaped crown with its flattish top is most typical of this tree. The largish leaves and the paucity of their number make the foliage open, so that daylight can be seen through it. In the distance it appears dense.

The sapwood is white, and the heartwood a rich oak-brown colour. It is one of the most durable West African timbers. It planes well and can be worked up with a good finish. It does not split well. It is obtainable in logs up to 30 inches square and 30 feet in length.

Though slow in growth it would average that of many European trees. It stands a good deal of shade in its youth, but it is really more of a light lover than a shade-bearer. Self-sown seedlings are few; apparently rodents eat them. In a similar way it is difficult to make a plantation, many being eaten or dying in the transplanting. One of the most successful methods evolved is that of sowing seeds in lines about 4 feet apart; a large number then come up and provide ample for a crop on the same land. They are not transplanted. When of middle age it will stand fire and the shade of the tree keeps the ground moist.

It is a soil-protecting and soil-improving tree; good crops of seeds are borne almost every year. The flowers are reddish, with white edges to the petals. The reddish tinge is quite distinctive in this genus, the white being that of Berlinia.

The bark drops off in large scales in places on the trunk towards middle and old age, in a similar fashion to the European plane. However, they do not leave the stem as smooth, though the lighter patches where the bark falls off brighten the bole up and make it quite distinctive amongst the other trees.

The timber has been constantly used by the P.W.D. at Onitsha. In the Liverpool market it was stated that it might be marketable as oak, at a low figure, in 1906. A similar species was being shipped from Gaboon in 1914 and fetched a fair price.

Albizzia fastigiata (Oliv.). East Indian Walnut. Ayinre langara, Ayinre ogo (Eg.) (Yoruba); Uwowe Lugu, Uwowelabafun (Benin); Uyat (Efik).

It is a large tree, up to 7 feet in girth and of corresponding height. Fruit narrower than A. sp.; only half an inch, with four or five seeds in each. This species has the most durable wood of all the Albizzias, but is not termite-proof, and has heartwood of a brown colour and white sapwood. The smallest leaf of all the Albizzias is met with in this tree, having very fine pinnæ.

Although not indigenous to Africa, it is now found almost everywhere in all the mixed deciduous forests of the Southern Provinces of Nigeria. The bark is rather rougher than that of A. Brownii. The basal root spurns are narrower, though they do not project more than 2 feet up the stem. On the whole the foliage is thicker, and the crown gives the appearance of being a little denser and not so feathery as that of A. Brownii.

The wood planes well, splits fairly easily, takes nails and saws well. It is what the carpenters would call a wood easy to work. The grain is of fine texture and has a certain amount of lustre.

It is a fast-growing, light-loving tree, which does not protect the soil. The leaves, however, form a rich humus, which enriches the soil. Natural regeneration appears to be good, and with the spread of farms this tree tends to increase its area of distribution. It will stand a little shade in its youth. A few plantations have been made with this tree.

Up to the present the timber has not been exported, but deserves a trial as an African Walnut, though it is difficult to obtain large- sized logs. It has occasionally been cut for local use. It is used by the natives for firewood, and occasionally, when split, for temporary house-building in the farms.

Albizzia Brownii. African Walnut. Ayinre, Ayinre Bona Bona (Yoruba); Owewe nolemare, Ikpawudu (Benin).

It is a large tree, up to 7 feet in girth, with wide fruit 2 inches across, containing four or five seeds. There are three or four pairs of pinnæ to each leaf, which is the largest of all the Albizzia leaves. The heartwood is more like walnut in colour, though of course softer and with more open grain. It could no doubt, however, be used as a substitute for walnut.

It is a common tree in the mixed deciduous forests of the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Benin, Owerri, and Ogoja provinces, where it is tending to widen its area of distribution with the spread of cultivation.

The fruit is very papery and almost transparent. It is rather larger than Albizzia sp., Shemusholoshi, but of about the same length. Its smooth, almost orange-coloured bark in the earlier stages is almost typical of the tree. As it gets older, a somewhat more corky bark forms in large scales which can be stripped off. The lop-sided shape of the pinnæ is very typical of the tree, making the leaves look almost like those of a true Gum Copal. The main vein is near the straighter side of the leaf.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood a mahogany brown. It has rather an open grain, but a good deal of lustre, and is easily worked. It planes well and takes nails easily. It splits fairly well and saws quite easily. It is not quite so durable as A. fastigiata, but it is more durable than the other Albizzias, except A. sp., Shemusholoshi. It is not termite-proof. It has considerable tensile strength compared to the other species, and a certain amount of elasticity.

It is the fastest growing of all the Albizzias and a light-loving tree. It scarcely protects the soil, but the leaf fall makes a good humus. It stands a little shade in its youth. Natural regeneration is very prolific. No plantations have been made with this tree. It appears to be a little more exacting as to soil than the other Albizzias, but will grow on almost any soil.

The timber has not been exported, but deserves a trial as a substitute for walnut. Owing to the fact that there are considerable supplies, and that it reaches a size to produce logs of the requisite dimensions, it appears to offer some possibilities as an export wood. Locally it has often been used for cutting up into planks, and is liked among the Yorubas for this purpose. In other places it has been used as a house-building wood, as well as for firewood. It has also been used for making beams, planks and doors. The roots, leaves and bark have been used amongst the Yorubas for medicinal purposes.

To face p. 294.

Albizzia sp. Walnut. Owewe nolemare (Benin); Ayinre (Yoruba); Semusholoshi (Jebu); Akkihien, also Owewe lagebon (Benin).

According to Mr. H. N. Thompson, Chief Conservator of Forests in Nigeria, who has seen the fruit of this tree, it is most certainly an Albizzia.

Chief Characteristics.—It has been described by a German as not unlike a solitary-standing pine, with its dark foliage of small pinnate leaves, which are larger than Piptadenia Africana and yet smaller than Cylicodiscus Gabunensis. In the above description it is very similar in habit to Piptadenia Kerstingii. The dark brown bark, which is roughish, is light-brown on the upper part of the stem. The crown is flat, consisting of two or three wide, outspreading branches. It has the usual flat, papery pod. The leaves are used by the Benin people for soup.

Distribution.—It is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

Timber.—It is fairly close-grained, though not nearly so hard as either Piptadenia Africana or Cylicodiscus Gabunensis.

Use.—The Yorubas use the bark medicinally as a stomachic, and the trunk is usually swollen at the base owing to the cortex being removed so often.

Albizzia rhombifolia. Walnut. Ayinre, Ayinre langara, Ayinre ogo (Yoruba); Owowe (Benin).

It is found in the Ibadan and Benin provinces of Nigeria, in the mixed deciduous forests, where it is quite prevalent. It is a medium-sized tree, attaining a girth of about 6 feet and a bole length of 30 feet. It is commonly seen in old farms, and usually more than one is found in the same locality. The thin, yellow, spiky flowers are rather pretty. The fruit is rather smaller than that of the other species.

The sapwood is white, and the heartwood is a light yellow-green. It is soft and not very durable; it is attacked by white ants (termites). However, it saws well, planes well, takes nails easily and splits moderately well. It can be cut into good-sized planks.

Timber, yellowish-green, and yields large planks.

It is a fast-growing, light-loving tree, which scarcely protects the soil, and only slightly improves it with its leaf fall. Natural regeneration is good, the seedlings growing up rapidly in any open place in the mixed deciduous forests.

The timber has not been tried for export, nor has it been used to any extent for local use. It deserves a further trial both as an export wood and as a wood for local floor-boards. Its qualities are far from properly known.

Among the natives it is used as firewood.

Albizzia sp. Walnut. Ayinre Ayinre, Ayinretta (Yoruba); Ikpawudu, Owawelugu (Benin).

It is a large tree, up to 6 feet in girth. It has rather narrower pinnæ, but of similar round shape to A. Brownii.

It is a common tree of the mixed deciduous forests in the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ondo, Benin, Onitsha, Owerri and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria.

The root spurns are very small. The bark gets rougher than that of A. Brownii in old age, the crown is longer and more feathery, and the leaves appear to be more of a silvery green.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood is of a yellowish-brown colour, tending to become a light brown when exposed to the air. It is comparatively soft; is not termite-proof. It is easy to work, planing and sawing well, and taking nails easily and splitting fairly well. It is, however, less durable than A. Brownii or fastigiata. When split and dried it is more durable than when cut up in the ordinary way. The wood hardens very considerably on exposure to the sun.

It is a light-loving, fast-growing tree. It scarcely protects the soil, but the leaf fall enriches it. Natural regeneration appears to be good. It tends to spread with the increase of farms, more especially on the poorer laterite soils. A few plantations have been made with this tree. The volume of produce per acre is less than in the case of A. Brownii, but apparently greater than any of the others. It is less rapidly growing than A. Brownii, but faster than the others.

The timber has not been used for export, and it is doubtful if it would repay the cost. Locally it has been used for planks, but it is not liked so much as that of A. Brownii or fastigiata. By the local people it is used for firewood, and occasionally for building temporary houses.

Anglocalyx ramiflorus (Taub). Ekiyawa (Benin).

It is a large tree, attaining a girth of 8 feet, but the trunk is not over-long in proportion. It is a shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. The bark is a dark olive-green and smooth. It is found in the Benin province of Nigeria. Natural regeneration appears to be poor. The wood is yellowish-brown and floats when quite dry. The timber was valued at nothing in 1906 and stated to be a whitewood in the Liverpool market.

Native Use.—None.

Ostryoderris impressa. White Oak. Awaw or Erumacie (Yoruba); Ori, Ehrurumesi, Erurunuesi, Awaw, (Usshin) (Benin).

It is a common tree in the Calabar, Ogoja, Benin, Owerri and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. To be seen along the Benin-Siluku Road, as also in the Badagry district on the Ayobo-Osuke Road.

It is a straight-boled, tall tree, with flattish crown made up of few straight branches with large pinnate leaves, making it appear flatter than it really is. The bark is slightly scaly with fine fissures. The slash is red, exuding a red latex. It reaches a height of 150 feet with a girth of 12 feet. The white, papery, pointed, flat, lozenge- shaped fruit, with a small kidney-shaped seed attached to the centre of the surface of one side, is most typical of the tree. The spurns are almost non-existent, so that the tree can be felled near the ground without trouble.

The timber is white in the sap and brown-white in the heartwood, but not over-hard, very tough and not splitting easily. It is hard to fell, being very flexible. It planes moderately well. The colour darkens with age.

It is a light-loving tree after the first few years. It grows moderately rapidly. It is a soil-improving and covering tree. Natural regeneration appears poor, though many seeds are usually seen on the ground. Insects appear to eat them rapidly. No plantations have been made with this tree, but experiments would show whether it grows well from seed.

In 1906 a sample log was exported and sold in the Liverpool market as white oak at 2s. per cubic foot, and it was recommended for shipment by the brokers.

Native Use.—It is used as posts for frames on which yams are tied in the Benin farms. In temporary houses, small trees are trimmed and squared for the forming of the walls, instead of dried mud.

Dalbergia saxatilis. West African Blackwood (?). Awow (Benin).

It is a small tree of the mixed deciduous forest of Benin; it is occasionally used by the natives for hoe and axe handles.

Dalbergia sp. West African Blackwood. Emosobegan, Paran (Yoruba).

Found in the Olokemeji Reserve.

Dalbergia sp. North Benin Blackwood.

This is found near Aroko, in the Onitsha province, and near Ishoka, in the Benin province. It is a small tree with very hard wood. In habit very similar to Ormosia laxiflora, with its orange-coloured bark, which is rougher than O. laxiflora and not so scaly. The wood is used for axe and hoe handles by the natives.

Dalbergia hostilis (Benth.). Yoruba Blackwood. Ogan Oga (Yoruba).

This Dalbergia is fairly common in the Olokemeji Reserve, in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

Copaifera sp. True Benin Gum Copal.

This tree is found near the Uhi, close to the source of the Ossiomo River, Benin province. This apparently is rather an uncommon tree. The Benin natives do not know how to tap the tree for gum, nor how to use the gum.

Cf. Copaifera. Enyenewu. Enyenewu (Yoruba).

Found in the Yoruba country.

Copaifera sp. Boji Hills Copaifera.

So far it has not been tapped for the gum, the local people apparently not knowing its value.

Bauhinia rufescens (Kew).

Found in the Oyo province.

Bauhinia reticulata (D.C.). Dry-zone Bauhinia. Abafe (Yoruba).

This Bauhinia grows in dry, open country. It is a small, spreading tree bearing white flowers.

Uses.—The fibrous bark is used for tying, and an infusion from the leaves is used in coagulating rubber latex. The stem is occasionally used for making house-posts. It is a fire-resisting tree and shades the soil.

Bauhinia Thonningii (Schum.).

This is a small shrub-like tree of the upper part of the Benin province of Nigeria. It is found near Agbede. It has red flowers. The sap of this tree has sometimes been used for coagulating rubber.

Physostigma venosum. Calabar Bean or Ordeal Bean. Eseri (Efik).

It is found growing in the Calabar district. The seed is poisonous; used in ordeals and medicinally.

The most noticeable feature is the furrow (about ⅛ inch wide and deep) in the upper side of the bean. None of the closely allied Mimosa species show this peculiarity.

Entada scandens. Sword Bean, Match-box Bean, Mackay Bean. Kakoba, Akhuro (seed) (Benin).

This large creeper is found in the Benin and Calabar provinces of Nigeria. It is not very prevalent. The most remarkable features about it are the stoutness of the stem, which attains a diameter of nearly 1 foot and the total length of over 100 feet, and its immense pod, which is often over 3 feet in length. The pod is divided into segments, each nearly 2 inches square, and each containing one large bean, almost a square in shape, 1½ inches and nearly ¾ inch thick. These beans have occasionally been used for making match-boxes, for which they are admirably suited. The outer part of the stem of the creeper is very rough and almost corrugated, especially near its base; the leaves are very small, considering the size of the whole creeper. It is comparatively slow-growing. It grows in the dense evergreen forest, and when drawn taut over the first branches of one of the large trees it is not unlike the bole of a small tree itself. When cut, the two ends part with a bang, like the breaking of a ship’s hawser. The natives use the smaller parts of the stem for fly-switches, for which they are very good and durable. The creeper is, however, not cultivated.

Entada Soudanica. Ogurohe (Yoruba).

Found in the Ibadan province.

Entada Abyssinica. Unwanwanis (Benin).

It is found in the upper part of the Benin province near Ishoka. It is a large creeper with rather smaller bean than E. scandens. The beans have been used for making small match-boxes in Europe. The natives consider the bean a “Ju-ju.”

Dioclea reflexa. Ishe, Agbarin (Yoruba).

A climber, found in the Ibadan province.

Mucuna urens. Ox-eye Bean. Awipu (Benin).

Found in the Benin and Abeokuta provinces.

Mucuna sp. Preussii. Yerepe (Yoruba).

Found in the Olokemeji Reserve and Benin province.

Acacia pennata (Willd.). Acacia. Okwekwe (Benin).

It is found in the upper part of the Benin, Ibadan, Ogoja and Abeokuta provinces. It is a small, scandent shrub with very sharp thorns, but which yields one of the strongest fibres for making fishing lines or native rope. It forms almost impenetrable masses which are very unpleasant to go through without a matchet.

Acacia Sieberiana. African Rosewood. Sie (Yoruba).

This is a somewhat uncommon Acacia of the Oyo province of Nigeria. Being of medium size, its very handsome racemes of yellow flowers show up to great advantage. The bark is rough, the bole short, and usually divided 8 or 10 feet from the ground. The sapwood is white and the heartwood a rose-pink colour, which makes it not unlike the typical rosewood of commerce. The heartwood is comparatively wide, and it is very hard, durable and termite-proof. It saws well and splits moderately easily, but does not take nails at all well. Reproduction by seed is apparently poor; it sprouts fairly well from the stump. It is a light-loving species, but being of the leguminous family it is a soil-improving tree. The wood has not yet been exported, but locally it has occasionally been used for house-building, the forked stem being much appreciated by the natives.

Acacia Farnesiana (Willd.). Farnesian Acacia. Bonni (Yoruba).

It is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. It is a small tree growing up to 6 feet in girth. It has a small pod containing eight seeds inside. The inside of the pod is white and the seed is brown. The flower is yellow, and is used by girls in decorating their ears. Usually found in towns, where it is planted. The seeds are sold in the market.

The timber is dark-red, surrounded by a narrow white sapwood. It is hard, like ebony. The bark is very much fissured and peels off in large scales.

The seeds of this tree and Jagiri are used with water for scraping the leather for making the fells smooth. Sold at Itaku and Shapon markets.

Acacia campylacantha. Confectioner’s Gum or African Catechu. Ede (Yoruba).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Oyo, Borgu, Niger, and Nassarawa provinces of Nigeria.

It is a very common tree, growing almost everywhere in groups. The stem is of a whitish to slight yellow colour, almost reminding one of the larch, but the whole tree is armed with short, sharp thorns. It reaches a girth of nearly 4 feet and a height of over 50 feet. The slash is light-brown, and a pale, yellowish-pink gum exudes from it. The tree usually forks about 20 or 30 feet from the ground, the other branches being rather crooked in shape. In February or March a mass of small yellow flowers appear, and in the autumn small pods cover the tree. The sapwood is white, and the heartwood varies from a dull red- brown to a rich, almost rosy red. In the latter case it is exceedingly pretty wood. The wood is moderately hard; it splits and planes badly, saws fairly well, and only takes nails indifferently. The wood dries rather harder and is more durable than when freshly cut and than would be expected. It is said to be termite-proof. A reddish colouring matter exudes from the heartwood, but this feature is typical of the cutch which is obtained from a similar tree in India.

Natural regeneration by seed appears to be good, hosts of young trees being found near the older ones. In fact, in localities of low rainfall it is tending to spread and fill up all vacant spaces after the annual grass-fires have burnt all the vegetation. It is a light- loving tree which does not protect the soil. The leaves are not unlike conifer needles, and enrich the soil to a certain extent, more especially as the tree is deciduous.

As a timber it has not been cut for export, but certainly the better- coloured wood, and that which has been more slowly grown, deserve a trial.

So far, the greatest use of this tree has been the production of the pink-coloured transparent gum which is one of the best of the confectioner’s gums in Great Britain. Very large quantities are exported every year from the Northern Provinces. Large round tears or lumps form on the stem of the tree when it is cut. Locally the tree is used for house-building, but it is not considered a durable wood.

=Leguminosæ (Mimoseæ).=

Acacia ataxacantha. Benin Rope Acacia. Ewon (Yoruba); Okwenkwen (Benin).

A common creeper of the mixed deciduous zone. It is found in the Abeokuta, Oyo, Ibadan, Ondo, Benin, Warri, Onitsha, Owerri, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria.

It is usually found growing in large impenetrable masses 3 to 4 feet high. It is armed throughout with short but very sharp, bent prickles.

It often grows up in waste places where the bush has been cleared in the mixed deciduous forest zone.

Both the Yorubas and Benis use the inside fibres of this creeper for making a very strong kind of rope—in fact, it is the strongest of all native-made ropes. It does not get so stiff or harsh as that made of Eso from the Firmania Barteri.

Distemonanthus Benthamianus (?) (Baill.). Alinyan (Benin).

Found in the Benin province.

Erythrina suberifera (Kew). Attagbo (Yoruba).

It is a moderately common tree of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. Its most distinguishing feature is the size of the leaf, which is similar to the tulip-tree. It reaches a much larger size than E. Senegalensis and has a girth of over 6 feet. The bark is a dark duck- egg-green colour, with a few white, shallow longitudinal fissures. The prickles on the stem are more scattered and much larger than those of E. Senegalensis. The slash is white and the bark thin when compared to the size of the tree. The wood is white and soft, and not durable. It cuts and saws easily, but does not plane well. It is a light-loving tree which does not protect the soil. It has not been cut for local use, nor for export. As a soft whitewood for interior use it ought to find a local market.

=Leguminosæ (Papilionaceæ).=

Erythrina Senegalensis (D.C.). Coral-flower. Ologun she-she (Yoruba); Esanigbakhehe, Ohehe (Benin).

It is a common tree in the upper part of the Onitsha, Benin, Ondo, Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. One of the most typical features of this small tree are the small, pink, coral-like flowers which appear in February. The tree is armed with a few thin but very sharp thorns; the foliage is slight and open. On suckers or stool- shoots the leaf is much larger and almost lyre-shaped. It is usually found in waste places or in open clearings in the mixed deciduous forest. It yields a soft wood which is not durable. It is sometimes used for making fences.

Tephrosia Ansellii (Hook). Boro (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

Tephrosia Vogelii (H. K. F.). Fish-poison. Were, Igun, Laye Igu (Yoruba).

This small shrub is apparently indigenous to Africa, but is usually seen planted in the fields of the Abeokuta, Oyo, Benin, Owerri and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. It is not unlike a large upright vetch, but with a strong, green stem, almost woody in growth. It reaches a height of about 3 feet and flowers very profusely, and bears a large number of pods, not unlike those of the runner bean. The plant is cut down and placed in the water where it is desired to catch all the fish, chiefly in stagnant pools of rivers or ponds. The effect of the poison from it blinds and stupefies the fish so that they are easily caught. Under the Game Preservation Ordinance, its use has been prohibited, but with its widespread cultivation and general utility it has been found very difficult to eradicate the custom or the plant. Incidentally it is a very good green manuring crop for agricultural land. However, most natives are unaware of this fact, and it is usually only planted for the purpose of using it as a fish-poison.

Burkea.

A species of Burkea was found near the Oyan River in the Oyo province of Nigeria.

Lonchocarpus sericeus. African Wisteria. Ipapo, Apapo (Yoruba).

This tree is found in the Olokemeji, Ibadan, Ilesha and Calabar districts. It is a medium-sized tree, which bears lilac-coloured flowers. As the flowers appear before the leaves in the dry season, it is then very ornamental, and is in fact one of the prettiest flowering trees. The wood is very hard and the heartwood green when freshly cut.

Timber.—This is not of much service.

Uses.—Hoe-handles are made from the branches, and the bark is used in medicine.

Lonchocarpus sp. Mamu Lonchocarpus.

Found in the Mamu Forest.

Lonchocarpus cyanescens. Yoruba Indigo. Elu or Ela (Yoruba).

This is one of the intermediate forest climbing shrubs, but has been cultivated throughout the country.

Uses.—The well-known Yoruba blue dye is made from the leaves. The stem is sometimes used for house-building posts. It is a shade- bearing, soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration appears to be poor.

Cæsalpina Bonducella. Shayo (Yoruba).

The bean of this creeper is used in games amongst the Yoruba boys.

Mundulia suberosa (Benth.). Lakuta (Yoruba); Ugbehen (Benin).

It is rather an uncommon tree, found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. It is a small tree, a part of which is used for killing fish.

Indigofera hirsuta. Indigo. Epa ile (Yoruba).

It is found in the Mamu Reserve of the Ibadan province of Nigeria.

Indigofera stenophylla. Indigo. Aro Boro (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

Pentaclethra macrophylla. The Oil Bean. Apara (Yoruba); Opagga, Ukpagga (Benin); Ataka (Ibo, Asaba); Opochala (Ibo, Niger).

It is a large-sized tree, reaching a girth of about 12 feet and a bole length of 40 feet. The root spurns are very extensive and often reach 4 or 5 feet up the stem, thus quite breaking up the base of the bole. The bark at first is a light yellow-brown, darkening in old age to a deep brown, and scaling off somewhat.

Chief Characteristics.—It has dense foliage and a heavy, branched crown, and very flat pods about 1 foot long and up to 2½ inches broad, containing seven or eight large, flat brown beans about 1 inch in diameter and ¼ inch thick. The pods open with a loud report not unlike the sound of a 12-bore gun.

Distribution.—It is found in the Lower Province of Nigeria, near the watercourses outside Abeokuta, Jebu, Ode, Benin, Onitsha, Owerri, Calabar and Ogoja.

Silvicultural Qualities.—The tree grows readily from self-sown or artificially sown beans, as is seen in the Avenue at Benin City, which was sown at stake in 1904. It bears pods in the twelfth year in the open, but later in the forest. It is usually very prolific, bearing at least some pods every year. The bole is not always very straight, and it has a distinct tendency to form strong side branches, and the crown is therefore a large oval one. The flowers are little yellow spike, which are very inconspicuous; they are borne on the old wood rather on the underside of the twig, in November or December and later. The tree stands dense shade, and it thoroughly covers the ground and prevents the growth of weeds.

It has a tendency to branch comparatively low down, when growing as an avenue tree, and thus does not grow so tall. This, however, has an advantage that the large pods have not so far to fall to the ground, and thus are not so dangerous to passers-by. The oil-beans have been collected and sold in England in small quantities.

The sapwood is of a dirty white colour and the heartwood of a dark brown, forming comparatively early in the life of a tree. The wood is very hard, but sometimes rather soft-grained, rather fibrous in texture, and the pores are somewhat wide and deep. It does not plane well, splits with difficulty; holes have to be made before nails can be put into it, and it saws none too easily. It is very durable and termite-proof. Considering its hard wood and comparatively early production of seed, and the huge pods, it is by no means a slow- growing tree. It reaches a height of 9 to 12 feet in twelve years. The pod is the stoutest and largest, but not the longest, of all African timber trees. The beans are collected in boxes and sold to the factories at 6d. to 9d. each. To be made quite safe for eating they have to be boiled nearly twelve hours, the outer husk of the bean being rather hard, though not very thick. The future will alone show whether this tree will prove of greater value for timber or oil production.

Uses.—The timber has been shipped to Europe and sold as greenheart at 1s. 6d. to 1s. 9d. per cubic foot. Locally, in the Benin City district and elsewhere, it is used for making mortars for beating yams and other food. The beans are eaten by the natives in most parts, though they are not considered a delicacy. The empty pods are used where firewood is scarce, as they burn well. It is, and has been, very extensively used as a shade-tree for public roads in the Owerri district, as well as in Afikpo and Benin. Some people object to the falling pods, but it is an excellent shade-tree, especially in the dry season, as it is an evergreen tree. It is a soil-protector, and would do for underplanting or interplanting teak.

Pterogopodium. Agba, Pink Mahogany. Asokale, Asu Kole (Ikale); Asre (Yoruba) (Egbado); Agba (Benin).

The scattering of the white flowers on the path or roadway is an indication of the presence of the tree, quite apart from the wonderful bole, exceeding nearly all others in cylindrical shape.

Chief Characteristics.—It is a very large forest tree, with clear bole of 90 feet and open crown formed with two or three large, upspreading limbs, flatly oval on the top. It is quite reminiscent of an old elm in the shape of the crown. The single-seeded winged fruit is most typical, no other species of Leguminoseæ having a similar seed except the nearly related Pterolobium (?). The bark is comparatively thin, silvery-grey in colour, with a few more or less well-defined ridges running horizontally round the trunk here and there. These are most typical, and it is the only tree which shows them. In some places they amount to small nodules of bark.

This tree is found commonly in the Benin and Ondo provinces of Nigeria, where it is prevalent, and in the northern part of the Benin province, and seen in almost gregarious patches in the secondary forest. The slash is yellowish-white, and in the younger trees a dirty pinkish sap exudes, but later on, especially from deep cuts, the gum copal forms and gradually hardens into solid lumps of various size.

Silvicultural Peculiarities.—It loves a deep soil with plenty of moisture, which may even be flooded or partially waterlogged during the rainy season. A chalky or limy soil seems to suit it best. It is a fast-growing, light-loving tree, though it stands a little shade in its youth. The light, feathery foliage does not shade the ground, though when in falls it enriches it. The root spurns are most slight, extending only from a few inches to 1 foot above the surface of the ground; in fact, sometimes the trunk appears to come straight out of the ground, like a round log on end. Natural regeneration is none too good, but this is chiefly due to lack of light in the mixed forests. No plantations have yet been made with this tree.

It has not been exported, but it deserves a trial as a furniture-wood for drawing tables and office equipment generally. It is sawn up into planks and boards at Koko Town, and contains a gum which makes the saws stick a little. It makes a good, soft wood for table tops, of a pinkish colour and clear, close grain. The gum is sold.

Native Use.—It has been used for canoe making in the Ondo province. The gum is used for an illuminant, and was at one time used entirely for this purpose. In 1906 logs of this timber were sold in Liverpool market as a kind of mahogany of light colour.

Prosopis oblonga. Yoruba Charcoal Wood.

It is found in the Ibadan and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, and may yet be found in the Onitsha and northern part of the Benin provinces. On the whole, it is not common, and is seen singly. Two typical specimens of this tree stand in the Olokemeji Reserve Arboretum. It has small, pinnate leaves, very much like tamarind, but they are almost silvery- grey and hang down, instead of being green and rigid, as the tamarind. The twigs and branches are very slight, compared to the thick ones of the tamarind. The bark of the trunk is grey, too, with thin cortex, which becomes slightly fissured in old age. The trunk is straight and tall, compared to tamarind. The crown is longish and thin, with a few small branches. It is somewhat feathery in habit and is delicate in build compared to most dry-zone trees. It is one of the most typical of dry-zone trees. The seed is small, about the size of apple-pips, contained in a papery pod, from 1 inch to 1½ inches long. It stands the annual grass-fires comparatively well, despite the fact that the bark is none too thick.

Timber.—Hard, white wood, termite-proof and very durable. The bark is thin but rough, and small pieces can be pulled off with the fingers. It is a deciduous tree, though it does not lose its leaves for a long period. It is a light-loving tree, which does not protect the soil, though the leaves (few as they are) make a good leaf-mould. It is slow-growing, and does not reach a girth exceeding 5 feet. Natural regeneration appears to be poor, but further observations on this point may disclose more. No plantations have been made with this tree, though, with its desirable qualities, some experiments seem to be indicated. It does not sprout well from the stump, nor do any root shoots appear before or after it is cut down.

It has not been exported, and has only been used occasionally locally.

Use.—The timber has been used for sleepers in Togo, where it has proved the most durable of all timbers for that purpose. In the Yoruba country it has been used for making charcoal of the best kind for iron-smelting.

Detarium Senegalense. Hard Mahogany. Ogwega (Benin).

This is none too prevalent a tree of the Benin and Ogoja provinces, where it is found in the mixed forests. It reaches a girth of over 12 feet and a bole length of over 40 feet, but in proportion to its height, the crown usually occupies more than half of it. The crown is usually widespreading and spherical in shape. The fruit is like a mango in form, but after the surface begins to decay, the fibres, instead of being fine and all coming out from the central nut, as in the mango, spread out vein-shaped all round the nut, starting more or less as thick veins at the base, and then subdividing into thinner ones, spreading round the nut in an irregular manner. The decaying fruit has a most unpleasant, not to say distinguishing, smell. However, this is more than compensated for by the pleasant taste of it when served as stewed fruit.

The sapwood is whitish-yellow, and the heartwood brown-red. It is hard, with somewhat fibrous grain, yet planes up with a good surface. Takes nails, but does not split well. It is durable, and supposed to be termite-proof, except for the sapwood, which the white ants often destroy. It saws moderately easily. In older trees the wood sometimes shows a little figure.

It is a somewhat slow-growing tree and a shade-bearer, with soil- protecting and soil-improving qualities. In fact, in most cases it is only found on comparatively rich soil, and in this respect appears to be more exacting than many other trees. Natural regeneration does not appear to be very good, but this may be due to the fact that animals eat the seeds. No plantations have been made of this tree.

In 1906 samples of this timber were sold in the Liverpool market as mahogany at 2¾d. per superficial foot, 3s. per cubic foot. It was reported to be of very hard texture, a dirty brown colour, and only one log sold. Since that date, however, none has been exported. It has not been felled for local use. The fruit can be stewed, and makes a nice addition to the other African fruits.

Native Use.—The shell of the nut is used for making prayer-beads and strung on a wire.

Ormosia laxiflora. Shedun (Yoruba).

Found in the Olokemeji Reserve and Ibadan province.

Paradaniellia Oliveri. Ilorin Balsam, African Balsam of Copaivi, Balsam. Iya (Yoruba); Osia (Benin); Ozia (Ishan); Ozaba (Ibo Asaba).

Found in the dry zone of the Southern Provinces of Nigeria. A common tree, growing to a height of 40 or 50 feet.

Use.—Balsam of Copaiba.

Xylia Evansii. Bentpod.

It is found in the Ogoja province of Nigeria in the mixed deciduous forest zone, but it is by no means a very common tree.

A medium-sized tree, with the curious bent-shaped pod typical of the Xylia, found in the Obubra and Ikom districts of Nigeria, on the left bank of the Cross River. It has a hard, red wood, which splits well. The sapwood is white, but not very wide in an average-sized tree.

It is a slow-growing, shade-bearing tree, which thoroughly protects the soil and improves it with its leaves decaying year after year.

The natives have not used the tree, nor has it been felled for local use by Europeans. It has also not been tried for export.

=Pandanaceæ.=

Pandanus candelabrum. Screw Pine. Ebbo (Benin).

In some rivers of the Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Warri, Onitsha, Owerri and Calabar provinces of Nigeria it is a common watershrub or small tree. Often it is seen only a tangled mass of long prickly leaves, armed with spikes all down each side and half floating in and above the surface of the water. Sometimes, again, it is seen as a tree with two or three more or less complete whorls of branches on the uppermost part of the stem and a mass of drooping leaves from the crown. The white stem is supported by several soft, corky-looking aerial roots. It seldom exceeds 2 feet in girth and 30 feet in height. The white flower is very conspicuous, with its cone-like shape, which becomes more pronounced as the fruit begins to ripen and turns green. The scent is very pungent and overpowering. The trees form almost impenetrable thickets at the edge of the more sluggishly flowing rivers. These often impede navigation and have to be cut away.

The stem is very porous when dry, and cannot be said to yield timber, though the cork-like material might serve for a light substitute for it.

Natural regeneration appears to be very good.

The fibre has not been exported in any quantity, but it is very tough, and apparently very durable and of moderate length (average 3 feet).

Native Use.—When dried the leaves are used for making mats for wrapping goods as well as for sleeping-mats. In the Benin and Jekri country, long (2 feet) thin receptacles are made which are used for salt, which is sold in these bags in the market. The bag keeps the salt dry. It is sometimes planted near villages in damp places for the purpose of obtaining the mat material locally, where it is not found naturally in the swamps.

=Humeriaceæ.=

Aubrya Gabunensis. Brass Mahogany-bark Tree.

This is a very large forest tree of the Brass district, with a bark very similar to that of mahogany, but to which it bears no relationship.

To face p. 308.

The trees are sometimes cut down by the natives and used for large dug-out canoes. The timber is termite-proof, and the natives say that canoes made from this timber are very durable, though rather heavy, and liable to become waterlogged when filled with water. It is of a dull reddish-brown colour and has rather a coarse grain.

=Rutaceæ.=

Zanthoxylum Senegalense. Dry-zone African Satinwood. Ata, Odan (Yoruba); Ughahan (Benin).

It is found in the Ibadan, Abeokuta, Benin, Onitsha and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, at the edge of the mixed deciduous zone and the lower part of the dry-zone forest region. It is only a medium-sized tree, attaining a girth of about 4 feet and a height of about 50 feet. The bole always remains armed with short, woody protrusions, each having a black thorn at the apex. In the upper part of the bole and the branches there are only thorns. The pinnate leaf has usually three pairs of pinnæ and one end-leaf. All the leaves are broader and about only half as long as those of Z. macrophyllum. On the whole, this makes the foliage appear thicker, and, in fact, gives greater shade than Z. macrophyllum. In proportion the bole is shorter and the crown larger and more spread out than in the case of Z. macrophyllum. The bole has a greater tendency to divide lower down into three subsidiary stems, thus spoiling the length of it for timber. The bunches of small, black seeds are smaller than those of Z. macrophyllum, and if anything the seeds are also smaller too.

The timber is very similar to that of Z. macrophyllum, the sapwood and heartwood being the same colour, except that the heartwood is often of a little darker shade, and bears a greater proportion to the diameter of the tree than in the case of Z. macrophyllum. On the whole it is harder, and more often shows a little figure. Although it does not reach such a large size, in many ways it is superior, the grain being rather finer, and showing more sheen, and if anything it works up to a finer texture when planed. It is just as durable and termite-proof. It is a light-loving tree, but will stand a certain amount of lateral shade. Owing to the prevalence of grass-fires, it is slower-growing than Z. macrophyllum, but if anything it shades the ground better, and considering where it usually stands, it is a slight soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration is fair. No plantations have been made with this tree. Samples of this timber have not yet been exported, though, as it is a sister tree to the West Indian Satinwood, it ought to command a similar price. It has not been felled for local use. The natives occasionally cut it for house-building timber, but it is not at all popular, owing to its being armed with spikes.

Zanthoxylum macrophyllum (Oliver). True Benin Satinwood. Atagbo (Yoruba); Ughahan, Okor (Benin).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin and Calabar provinces of Nigeria, in the mixed deciduous forest zone, where it is very prevalent, especially in old farms.

Chief Characteristics.—It has a very large leaf, up to 6 feet long, with forty pairs of leaflets, each rather smaller than those of Z. Senegalense. There are no thorns on the branches, but many on the stem, which is thoroughly armed until old age, when most of the woody spikes drop off. It bears a large bunch of small, black, spherical- shaped seeds. It is a common tree in abandoned farms of the mixed deciduous forest zone. The thorns are more sharply pointed than Z. Senegalense and not so woody at first, but later form a thorn at the top of each wooden protrusion. One specimen found in the Olokemeji Reserve had very few wooden protrusions, each armed with a thorn, but there were larger leaves than Z. macrophyllum, though in all not quite so long. In old age the stem is almost smooth, and may reach a girth of nearly 6 feet and a length of over 30 feet. The crown is slender and broken up with three or four main branches. The base of the bole in old age is spotted with yellow lenticels.

It is a light-loving, quick-growing tree, which does not protect the ground, and only to a certain extent acts with its leaves as a soil- improving tree. Natural regeneration is very good, and on the whole, at the edge of the evergreen and mixed deciduous forest zone, with the increase of farms it is tending to spread in greater numbers than before, and in some places groups of them are found, whereas in the original forest only isolated specimens are obtained. No plantations have been made with this tree.

The sapwood is light-yellow and the heartwood of a darker yellow shade. In quickly grown trees it is not very large, but in the older trees comprises more than two-thirds of the diameter of the tree. The timber is hard, fine-grained, planing up smooth in texture. It does not take nails well, nor split well, saws, however, cleanly, and occasionally shows a little figure.

In 1906 samples of this timber were sold in the Liverpool market as Sabicu at 2s. to 2s. 6d. per foot, and reported of a very hard nature. Since then, however, none has been cut or exported. Locally it has not been used in any form. It should be noted, however, that this is a sister tree of the West Indian Satinwood, and considering that it grows to a larger size than that one, the timber should demand a still higher price.

Use.—In the Benin country the timber is used for making door-plates before putting dried clay on the top, and also used for doors.

Zanthoxylum sp. n. Dwarf Satinwood. Boji.

Chief Characteristics.—The fruit is a mass of red berries very similar to the Mountain Ash of Europe, but a small tree armed with a few scattered spines of short length, but not very woody, more in the nature of thorns. It attains a girth of 10 inches and a height of 15 to 20 feet.

Distribution.—It was only found on the summit of the Boji Hills from an elevation of 4,500 to 5,000 feet, where other vegetation gave out and only grass grew otherwise.

It has a very hard, yellow wood of the usual satiny nature. It made very good firewood on the mountain top.

Zanthoxylum sp. (Kew). Pterocarpus sp. African Satinwood. Urueben (Benin).

It is found in the Benin and Ondo provinces of Nigeria.

It is a common tree near the banks of rivers in the evergreen forest. It is of medium-size, reaching a girth of about 7 feet; the bole is long (40 feet); the root buttresses reach up the bole about 3 feet. The stalk has a few prickles, especially when it is small, but they disappear in old age. The leaf is smaller than P. osun, but much the same as Akume, Pterocarpus sp. The habit is typical of a Pterocarpus and not of Zanthoxylum. The bark is quite smooth and always unarmed. The fruit is ovoid and flat, with the seed at one end, rather different in this respect to Pterocarpus, and without the prickles on it. The slash is white, and soon red drops of latex-like fluid exude from the tree. The branches are upspreading and the crown is large, though narrow, the bole being about two-thirds of the total height.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood is yellow when young and dark- red, like P. osun, when old. It is hard, but splits well. Termites attack it. It is cross-grained and stands a little bending; otherwise it is brittle, when bent far.

It is slow-growing and a light-lover. It likes a good soil which is moist and has depth. It does not sprout from the stool. Seed reproduction is good, and the seedlings are found in the neighbourhood of old trees. It is a deciduous tree for three months in the year (dry season).

It has not been cut for local use or exported to Europe. It is used for making shovels for mud-puddling in the building of Benin houses; also for pegs in the walls of a chief’s house.

Toddalia sp. Oie (Yoruba).

A climbing shrub common in Tropical West Africa. The fertile stamens are equal in number to the petals. Leaves digitate.

Uses.—Condiments and medicine.

Ægle Barteri. Calabash Orange. Shange, Bale (Yoruba).

This is a small tree growing near the villages, cultivated for its shade and for medicinal purposes. The fruit looks like an orange, but the shell is hard and it is not edible.

Clausena Anisata (Oliv.). Alapari, Obuko (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

=Simarubaceæ.=

Irvingia Barteri. Dika Nut, Wild Mango. Oro, Auro (Yoruba); Ogwi (tree), Okherli (seed) (Benin).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Warri, Onitsha, Owerri, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria.

With its smooth, shining, small dark-green leaves it is quite distinguishable from other forest trees. The very spherical shape of the crown and the short bole are also most typical of the tree. It is often found near river banks or in damp localities. Wherever found, it is usually preserved by the natives, though not actually cultivated or tended.

The flower is inconspicuous, but the fruit is like a small mango, becoming quite yellow when ripe, though much harder and of a much sharper flavour.

The wood is hard and durable; the sapwood is yellowish-white and the heartwood yellow. It is impervious to white ants.

The tree is a shade-bearer, especially in youth, but grows very slowly. Those planted near Leopardstown, Calabar, were only 6 to 8 feet high after ten years’ growth. It is true they received little or no attention and occasionally the grass was burnt near them.

No regular plantations have been made, though one plot was planted in the Mamu Reserve in 1910. Further experiments in cultivation, and especially pruning and tending to see how early the tree will bear fruit, are worth undertaking. A method to increase the size of the fruit, and with it the size of the kernel, might be discovered and thus make it a profitable tree to grow in plantations.

Reported on by the Imperial Institute in 1904, and kernels worth £14 a ton then in London.

Native Use.—House-building. The fruit is eaten, and then the nut is cracked and the kernel beaten up and served as soup. Fruit or nuts or both are sold in the markets of Benin and Yorubaland.

Irvingia Smithii. Benin Dika Nut (?). Akwekwe (Benin).

It is found occasionally in the Benin province of Nigeria. It is a tree with similar growth to Irvingia Barteri, but reaches a larger size, up to 12 feet. The bole length is also greater, 40 feet. The fruit is larger than Irvingia Barteri, but of the same shape. It is rather uncommon in the evergreen forest. The crown is smaller and occupies only the upper third of the stem. The branches are larger, too, and of lesser number in proportion than Irvingia Barteri.

The wood is yellow in the sapwood and brown in the heartwood, and hard. It is hard to split. The heartwood is very small, being only about 1 foot out of a diameter of 4 feet. Termites do not attack the wood.

It is a shade-bearer and grows slowly. It does not sprout from the stool, but reproduction by seed is good. The duikas eat the fruit.

It has not been cut for local use nor exported to Europe.

It is used, by tying four seeds together like Ogwega, for a game. The fruit is not eaten because it is not sweet.

Irvingia sp. Pwekupweku (Benin).

It is a common tree in the Benin province of Nigeria. It is a large tree, reaching a girth of 15 feet and very tall. The fruit is yellow, and large as an African mango, but with a very much sweeter smell and sweet taste. The branches are flattish, and so the crown is wide, with a long bole and shallow crown. It has a long, lanceolate leaf with insignificant veins. The wood is hard, with white sapwood and brown heartwood. It grows on good soil, which is moist and deep in the evergreen forests. It is a shade-bearer and grows moderately fast.

Native Use.—The fruit is used for killing rats after it has been cooked and mixed with palm oil chop. It is then given to them, and they at once fall down dead.

=Simarubaceæ= (Planch).

Hannoa undulata. Whitewood. Igigun (Egba); Igbo (Lagos); Orisi (Igbado, Yoruba).

It is found in the Calabar, Owerri, Benin, Warri, Ondo, Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a very large tree, reaching a girth of 12 feet and a bole length of about 50 feet, which grows up very readily in old farms or clearings in the evergreen forest and lower parts of the mixed forests. It has a large, broad leaf, which is deciduous for about a month in the year. The flower, which is white in colour, is in the form of racemes (?). The bark is green, with grey streaks up and down, and the slash is white with yellow markings; it smells sweet, too. The fruit is oblong and black, more like a plum. The spurns are very slight.

The wood is very soft and white all through. It dries without warping, but if not cut properly is liable to be attacked by small borers of the furniture kind. It planes with a smooth surface. It is very light, more so even than Musanga wood. The grain is fine, though such pores as there are, are long. It splits well and adzes well too. It shrinks considerably in drying, but this might be obviated by girdling and drying very gradually in shade when cut green.

It is a very quick-growing tree, almost as fast as Ricinodendron. It is a light-lover, and is rather intolerant of shade, except in its youth. It grows best from seed reproduction, as the power from the stool is very slight and soon dies back.

It was sampled in 1912 at Degema, but has not been exported to Europe. A trial as a wood for making pulpwood seems indicated. It is split up into flat pieces for doors and mantelpieces, also for making the walls of temporary houses, each piece being set upright to the other, with any round edge on the outside.

=Burseraceæ.=

Pachylobus edulis. Native Pear (Ohan), Incense Tree, Elemi Gum. Ibagho (Yoruba); Onumu (Benin); Eben (Efik).

It is found in all the Southern Provinces of Nigeria, chiefly as a planted tree in the neighbourhood of villages, and on the sides of the roads leading to them, being more prevalent in the Benin and Oban than the other districts. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a girth of about 7 feet and a height of about 70 feet.

The gum, which exudes when the tree is cut with a matchet, smells very much like incense when burnt, and is of a white colour. It is always planted in the villages, partly for shade, chiefly for food, especially in the Oban country.

The fruit is first of all a grey, and then a purple colour, and a very cylindrical plum shape, in all about 2½ inches long and rather more than 1 inch in diameter. It is very much like turpentine to taste, especially when not quite ripe, and in the centre of the fruit there is an oblong nut rather more than 1 inch in length, more or less round, with four ribbed edges, all culminating at the apex. The leaves are large, consisting of four to six pairs of pinnæ, which are shiny and dark-green on the upper surface, and almost silver-grey underneath. The trunk is often very much cut about and chipped, and little pieces of the white gum are often seen in the old scars. It usually bears fruit heavily every year.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood is of a faint pink colour. It is not very hard, but more like mahogany in texture and character. Owing to its irregular growth and branching habit, it is often rather knotty and cross-grained.

It is a shade-bearing, somewhat slow-growing tree, which only partially protects the soil, but on the whole improves it with its fall of leaves. Natural regeneration appears to be rare, chiefly perhaps owing to the fact that the natives pick the fruit even before it is quite ripe, and take it away to eat in their houses. It is usually planted by the natives as a transplanted seedling, about 3 feet high. Considering the poor flavour of the fruit, it is rather surprising that it is so widely planted and comparatively speaking so much tended by the natives in certain districts. It is moderately fire-resisting and dew-collecting, especially in the dry seasons, the ground in the vicinity of the trees often being quite damp with the condensed dew falling off the leaves.

It has not been felled for export or for local use. The tree, however, provides grateful shade in the more open parts of the country, in the neighbourhood of villages.

The gum has not been collected for export, but is considered of value. However, no tapping experiments have been tried.

Native Use.—The fruit is called a pear, and is liked by most natives, who eat it raw. It is sometimes sold in the markets at five for one penny.

Canarium Schweinfurthii. Pink Mahogany, Bastard Mahogany. (Sometimes sold as Gaboon Mahogany or African Elemi. Anikantuhu, Ako, Ibagbo (Yoruba); Onumukyukyu (Benin); also known as Ikwapbo. (The Benin name means Kyukyu or bird, Onumu or Incense-tree.)

Chief Characteristics.—Evenly striated bark of orange to light- yellow colour, turning grey on exposure to full rays of the sun. The seed is small and similar to that of Pachylobus edulis, but much smaller.

Distribution.—A few in the Western, more in the Central west and south of Benin, and most common in the Eastern Circle, especially north of Calabar, in the mixed deciduous forest zone, and to lesser extent in the evergreen forest zone.

It is a large forest tree, with a girth of over 12 feet and a bole length of about 90 feet. Being more or less preserved by the natives when found in the forests, in clearing for their farms, it is often now seen on the roadsides. The slash is white, and as the roots beside the road are often cut by the natives, the yellowish-white gum exudes, forming a small white layer on the surface of the root. This has a most pleasant smell, and is not unpleasant to taste. It is closely allied to, if not much the same character as, the “Balsam of Tolu.” The leaf is comparatively small, with three or four pairs of pinnæ, and growing more or less in tufts, this being reminiscent of the Mahogany family. The root spurns are very slight, and in this respect it is more like the European Ash, and usually there are one or two main roots which spread out, down the slightly enlarged bole at the base. Otherwise the tree is one of the most cylindrical in shape, falling away with the increasing height less than almost any other. It is a deciduous tree. The pores are very fine and rather longer than in the ordinary mahogany, and the wood is not so sheeny.

The sapwood is white, and in fast-grown trees often 6 inches through. The heartwood is of a delicately pink mahogany colour, darkening to a light-brown mahogany on exposure to the air and sunlight. It is not very hard, and splits fairly well. It planes up with a smooth surface. It saws well and also takes nails fairly well. It has very considerable elasticity. It is lighter than most kinds of mahogany. The logs will float as soon as at all dry.

In youth it stands a good deal of shade, but later on it is on the whole a light-demanding tree. It is a fairly quick-growing tree, but tends to become very slow when left alone in the open. It needs a rich soil, but is also found on poorer land. It needs more moisture than many others. Although not a soil-protecting tree, the leaves yield a fair amount of humus in their annual fall. Natural regeneration is fair, but it is rather susceptible to fire, and much of it is thus killed. No plantations have been made of this tree.

In 1906 a sample was sold in the Liverpool market as Gaboon Mahogany at 1s. 6d. per cubic foot full measure, and in 1907 sample logs of this tree were exported to the Liverpool market, where they were sold as light Benin Mahogany at 2d. per superficial foot. Since then none has been felled.

The natives occasionally cut the tree for planks, and use the wood for making canoes, chiefly owing to its lightness and elasticity.

Canarium sp. Rough-barked Canarium. Ekugbi, Ekugbo (Yoruba); Onumukyukyu (Benin).

Chief Characteristics.—A large tree, with larger fissures than C. Schweinfurthii, about 6 inches apart; the bark is inclined to scale off in between. The leaves are a little larger, but the gum is very similar and used for similar purposes.

Distribution.—It was found in the Olokemeji Forest Reserve.

It is deciduous for about three weeks in the year, chiefly November, but otherwise it is a soil-protecting and soil-improving tree.

The tree has not been felled for export or for local use. Nor do the natives appear to have used it for any purpose.

Canarium Mansfeldii. Gaboon Mahogany.

This species is found on the banks of the Upper Cross River.

Canarium sp. Oyife (Yoruba).

Found in the Yoruba country.

Canarium sp., syn. Schweinfurthii. Incense Tree. Anikantuku (Yoruba); Onumukyukyu (Benin).

Found in the Ilaro district and Benin.

=Meliaceæ.=

Carapa procera. Scented Mahogany Cedar, Crab Wood, Touloucouna Oil. Efu Iya, Abo-oganwo (Yoruba); Ibbegogo (Benin).

It is a common tree, found in the Calabar, Ogoja, Owerri, Warri, Benin, Ondo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a small tree, growing to a girth of about 6 feet. The pinnæ and the whole leaf are both much larger than the mahogany leaf, even including that of grandifolia. It often grows with a divided bole, two small stems shooting upwards from about 3 feet from the ground. The leaves grow in very distinct tufts on the edge of the branches. The bark is smooth and a light-green colour, with a few vertical uprights when the tree is old. The fruit is a large, roughly round, woody drupe. The covering shell dehisces into eight parts, releasing about twenty hard, brown, round-cornered, almost square nuts. The seeds are eaten by porcupines. It is found in the freshwater swamps in the evergreen forest and in damp places of the mixed deciduous forest. The timber is pink when freshly cut, and the heartwood has the red- brown typical of the Mahogany family. The small size of the timber rather militates against its reaching the high value of mahogany.

The tree is a shade-bearer in its younger stages of growth, and even when older it still stands a considerable amount of shade. Self-sown seedlings are not often seen. Perhaps this is due to so many of the seeds being eaten by animals. The stump scarcely sprouts after it has been freshly cut. Considering the size of the tree, a very fair number of nuts ripen each year.

No use has been made of the seeds, though they yield a similar oil to that of the Crab Oil Tree of South America.

In 1906 a sample of the timber was sold in the Liverpool market as Mahogany Cedar, scented, at 2½d. and 3½d. per superficial foot.

Native Use.—The bark is used by pregnant Yoruba women and for sores and as a cough mixture. It is used underneath palm leaves as a roofing material in the Benin country.

Khaya grandifolia, later grandis (Stapf.). Big-leaf Mahogany, Benin Mahogany. Akor, Oganwo (Yoruba); Gadeau, Ogwangu (Benin); Odala (Ibo Asaba); Digiten (Brass); Dirinshi, Diki (Ibo Owerri); Asamogo (Ibibio); Upono (Efik); Obon (?) (Oban, Ekoi).

It is found in the Ondo, Benin and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, at the edge of the mixed deciduous forest zone, where it is very prevalent in some places, such as at the edge of the Ifon Owo-Akure Road.

Chief Characteristics.—It is a large tree of the mixed forests. It attains a girth of 14 feet and a corresponding height. It is, however, taller in proportion than K. Punchii. It has long, upward-tending root flanges, though not so large as those of K. Ivoriensis or the Coast Mahogany. The crown is open compared to the other Khayas, except K. Senegalensis. It has conspicuously large pinnate leaves, with three or four pairs of leaflets quite 10 inches in length, each leaflet being 4 inches long. The stem is smoother than K. Punchii, and in that respect more like K. anthoteka. The leaves of this species are the most shiny of all; in fact, the others appear dull beside them. The bole, on the whole, is cleaner than K. Punchii and longer, though it forks or divides into a head in the characteristic Mahogany way. The shininess of the leaves is one of the greatest characteristics of this tree. The capsule is somewhat larger than K. Punchii. It is also a little thicker, and the tip is not so long or sharp. It opens out into five segments, as a rule, but sometimes there may be only four. The seeds themselves are a little oblong in shape and not quite so square as in K. Punchii, although they are just as thin and flat.

The timber is the typical Benin Mahogany, with somewhat long pores, first of all rather pink, then a rich mahogany-brown colour. Occasionally the sapwood is very wide in proportion to the size of the tree, but this is more in the case of very quickly grown trees. It sometimes shows very rich figure of a “roey” nature as well as “fiddleback,” more especially in the root buttresses. Here, owing to the storms to which the tree is exposed, the fibres of these buttresses become fractured and compressed, thus giving a broken and mottled appearance to the grain after it has been cut up lengthways. In this species the wood of the “curls” often shows a rather bolder roe than in the case of those obtained from K. Punchii or Ivoriensis.

On the whole this is the most quickly growing of all the Khayas. In its youth it stands a certain amount of shade, and, in fact, always, but it would appear to demand a good deal of light for its full and quick development. It is a thoroughly soil-protecting and soil- improving tree. The leaves make a rich humus. Natural regeneration is good, and, in fact, appears to be much better than in the case of the other Khayas. It sprouts from the stump a little. It appears to be somewhat exacting as to soil, preferring somewhat deep, rich and moist sites. In plantations it has already found a place. It has also been planted, mixed with other species of Khaya, in the small nurseries, plantations and lines of trees made by the timber-lease holders. It does not seem to be attacked so severely by the leading-shoot borer as in the case of K. Punchii. Owing to the fact that the seeds usually fall on more open ground, it is not eaten so quickly by the little boring insects.

The timber is being constantly exported and mixed up with the other species of Khaya. Being lighter, it floats higher on the water than the other species, more especially Entandrophragma. It has occasionally been used by the natives for making canoes, as also for sawing up into planks.

Khaya Punchii. Uhi Mahogany, Benin Mahogany. Oganwo (Yoruba); Ogwangu (Benin); Eggi (Ibo Asaba).

This tree does not attain such a large size as either K. grandis or K. Ivoriensis, but it often exceeds a girth of 12 feet and a bole length of 70 feet. The bottom log of a tree is often found to show figured wood. This is perhaps owing to the bark being constantly removed, and to the succeeding occlusion of the wounds following at different times, according to when the bark is removed.

Chief Characteristics.—It has a comparatively small leaf, with five or six pairs of leaflets. It has slight root spurns, or protuberances, or even in some cases none at all. It is generally particularly rough at the base, owing to the bark having been continually removed by the local people. Higher up, the stem is covered with brown-coloured bark, which is slightly pitted. The leaves are in tufts, though to a lesser extent than either K. grandis or Ivoriensis. The large masses of small white flowers remind one of lilac. It is of the same white colour. It flowers in February, when it is also in new leaf. Compared with K. grandis it usually has a shorter and somewhat more curved bole.

Distribution.—It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan and Benin provinces of Nigeria.

The capsule is of medium size, splitting open into five segments which remain attached at the base. On the whole it is rather thinner than K. grandis or Ivoriensis, but does not come to such a sharp point as either of those two.

The timber is very similar in grain and texture to the other Khayas, but if anything it is a little heavier and a little closer texture then either grandis or Ivoriensis, especially in those districts where it grows in the mixed deciduous forests, and where the base of the trunk is burnt with an occasional grass-fire.

Although not quite so fast-growing as the other Khayas, it is a fast- growing tree with soil-protecting and soil-improving qualities. Natural regeneration is fair, though the little thin, flat seeds are very soon attacked by a little boring insect when they fall to the ground. However, when rapidly gathered after having fallen, they retain their germinative capacity for a greater length of time than in the case of the Entandrophragmas. On the whole, if the locality is not too dry or fires too prevalent, this tree tends to widen its area of distribution with the spread of farms. The leading-shoot borer attacks this tree in its younger stages perhaps even more than the other Khayas, more especially when it is planted pure. In this connection it should be noted that this Khaya, as well as the others, is not gregarious in habit, being always found singly, though varying much in number per square mile. This factor rather indicates that pure plantations should not be made, or at any rate that it should only be planted in small groups mixed with other species, also in small groups, from a quarter to one acre in extent. In leased timber areas it has been planted mixed with other species. On the whole, it has not been exported so much as the other Khayas. It has been sold as Niger Mahogany.

Value.—3d. to 6d. per superficial foot from Sapoba, in the Benin province. The natives occasionally cut it for sawing into planks.

To face p. 320.

Khaya anthotheca?. White-barked Mahogany or White Mahogany, King of the Timber. Funfun (Yoruba); Ogwangu Nufwa, Ogigedu (Benin).

Many specimens of this tree are found in the mixed forests on the banks of the Ovia River in the Ifon district of the Benin province, and also isolated trees near the banks of the Owena River in the Ondo province.

The chief characteristic of this tree is the speckled white bark, which gives the stem generally a light, almost white or grey colour. The white patches in the bark occur irregularly scattered all round the bole, being chiefly confined to the lower half of it. In young trees the four very strong lateral roots show up prominently above the ground, leading away from the tree more or less at right angles and remaining above the surface of the ground for two or three feet. This feature to some extent persists even in old age, but then it is not so pronounced, as these roots tend to form more or less stout buttresses similar to the others, but coming out more abruptly and forming a more shelf-like protuberance from the stem.

The timber is supposed to be lighter, and of a lighter colour than that of the other Khayas. However, it appears to be only rather more of a pinkish-brown when freshly cut, taking on the typical mahogany- brown once it is exposed to the air. So far, it has always been sold mixed up with the other species cut in the same area, and realizes similar prices. It may perhaps have even helped towards the scoring of the higher average price of 6d. per superficial foot which was obtained from one area where this species is found.

Khaya n. sp. Mahogany. Ogwangu (Benin).

This was found in the Benin province of Nigeria. In the wood, it shows a considerable difference to the other Khayas, being a much lighter red-brown colour and of more open texture.

Khaya Ivoriensis. Coast Mahogany. Obi, Oganwo, Akpakor (Yoruba).

This species is supposed to be that from which most of the coastal mahogany is obtained, more especially in the more low-lying regions. The wood is of a richer and darker colour and somewhat heavier than that of the other species. The most typical feature, though, is the very sheeny nature of the wood and the very considerable size of the medullary rays, which, however, are not conspicuous, as in the wood from Nigeria.

Khaya Senegalensis. Dry-zone Mahogany. Oganwo (Yoruba); Ogwangu (Benin).

Chief Characteristics.—The tree has an open crown with a few upspreading branches, and apparently much less foliage than its “confrères.” The leaves are small, very grey, specially on the under- surface, giving them almost the character of Eucalyptus leaves. The bole is shorter than the other Khayas, with a slightly scaly bark and only a small thickening of the base and no root buttresses at all. The bark is darker than Khaya Punchii, though the scales are often grey. The capsule is almost frequently four-sectioned, though this is not an absolute rule, as other Khayas have been found bearing capsules dividing into three, four and five sections. It does not exude gum so readily as Khaya Punchii, and the gum is of a redder colour. Illustration No. 67 shows the lower part of the bole of a tree 10 feet in girth.

Distribution.—It grows on the banks of the Ogun River above the Iseyin-Oyo Road, Ibadan province, Akure, Benin and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. It is found as one of the most prevalent trees near Obudu and in the Onitsha province north of Ogrugu.

Timber.—It is of redder brown colour than either Khaya Punchii or grandis, and has a greater sheen. The texture of wood is a little closer, and, owing to the annual grass-fires burning the stem, is slightly figured. Logs could not be cut much more than 20 feet in length, owing to the bole not always being straight, though the large branches would make small ones and curls.

Silvicultural Qualities.—It stands a great deal of drought, though in its drier area of distribution it is usually to be found near river banks. The seed keeps a high percentage of germination for some months after being picked. It demands more light than either of the other Khayas, and grows freely from the beginning. It has also a greater tendency to branch than the other Khayas, but this may be due to its being attacked more by the leading-shoot borer than the other species, as more of these insects are found in the open than in the mixed forests. It is almost gregarious, as groups of trees are usually found together.

Khaya sp. Orro (Yoruba); Geduloha (Benin).

This tree is found in the Ilaro district of the Abeokuta province. There appears to be some doubt as to whether this is really a distinct species, but the fact remains that the wood is very much darker and of rather a duller colour than most of the other Khayas. It shows also a very rich, wide roe, and in this respect the wood is more valuable than that of many other species. It is somewhat similar to the best counter-top wood obtained from the Entandrophragmas. It does not appear to be a very common tree, but it attains a girth of over 12 feet, and the bole is straighter and considerably taller than most of the Khayas.

Pseudocedrela Kotschyii. Dry-zone Cedar. Hard Cedar Mahogany. Emi gbegeri (Yoruba, Ibadan).

It is found in groups and isolated specimens in the Ibadan province of Nigeria, in the dry-zone forest and at the edge of the mixed deciduous areas, more especially in the Olokemeji Forest. With its somewhat regularly fissured bark, showing a criss-cross pattern, it is distinguishable from the other dry-zone trees. The silvery pinnate leaves in tufts and the charred base of the stem, combined with the grey trunk, all help to identify it. The little mahogany-like capsule, covered with silvery hairs when unripe, is another feature. When these burst open, leaving the empty capsule on the tree for a time, there is no doubt about its being of the Mahogany family. In the distance the grey, almost silvery-coloured bark makes it stand out as compared to others such as Dwarf Ironwood or the Shea Butter Tree. Reaching a girth of about 6 feet and a bole length of 25 feet, it is one of the largest dry-zone trees.

The sapwood is pinkish-red, when fresh, and the heartwood a rich red- brown, darkening slightly on exposure to the light. It is harder than mahogany and heavier. The grain is closer and on the whole finer, but with a similar sheen. It often shows a little figure. It saws well, planes smoothly, takes nails, and has a good appearance in the plank. It is said to be termite-proof. It is considerably stronger than mahogany.

Somewhat slow-growing, even from naturally growing root suckers, it is a light-loving tree, giving scarcely enough shade to protect the soil. In its youth it is a soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration is poor, root suckers being the strongest form of reproduction. It sprouts slightly from the stump, but not sufficiently for reproduction of a crop. A fair crop of seeds is found each year, but usually, owing to grass-fires, much of this is destroyed. Plantations are being made, but natural growth has been encouraged in places, and gives further promise of better growth.

It has not been exported, but it is occasionally felled for local use. It is one of the most valuable trees of the dry zone.

Entandrophragma utilis. Short-capsuled Mahogany, Sapeli or Heavy Mahogany. Ijebbo, Jebu, Ashuwole, Papala (Yoruba); Ogipogo, Ubilesan Onamakyuku, Plekkogo (Benin); Eplekgo (Jekri); Edem (Efik); Atori (Oban, Ekoi).

This tree is found in the evergreen and mixed forests of the Ondo, Benin, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. It is one of the most common mahoganies of the forest, and reaches the largest girth of any of the African trees. The biggest of all showed a girth of 56 feet, measured above the top of the buttresses, and one which showed 437 rings of growth had a girth of 52 feet, measured at 20 feet above the ground. This one, too, yielded 15 logs of various sizes.

The leaves are rather smaller and show the ribs rather more prominently than in E. cylindrica, but the growth, which is in tufts, is similar. It is deciduous for about three weeks in the year, in November, when inconspicuous flowers first appear and then the leaves. The capsule is about 3 inches long and nearly 1 inch in diameter. It is of the usual pentagonal shape, and there are five seeds, placed one over the other on each side of the central pentagonal core. The seeds are nearly square in shape, with a rounded back about an eighth of an inch thick. The wings are four times the length of the seed, making each about 2½ inches long. The seeds lose their germinative power in about three weeks, and are always attacked by a small boring insect.

The bole has comparatively slight root spurns, which terminate at about a maximum height of 20 feet from the ground. It is very straight, and may attain a height of 90 feet. The stem is, however, much more pitted than that of E. cylindrica. The bark is of a green to grey colour, very reminiscent at times of a beech-tree, especially at a distance. The crown is flatly spherical, being composed of a few very large limbs. The slash is white and brown; the sapwood is white and the heartwood of a red-brown colour, with a very strong cedar-wood scent when freshly cut. Even when the wood is seasoned and freshly planed, this scent is very noticeable. It saws and splits easily, planes up moderately, and takes nails fairly easily. It is not termite-proof, but the most common attack is by a lymexylon, if the logs are left lying unsquared in the forests. Many figured logs have been obtained from this species of tree. In the younger stages, the sapwood is comparatively wide. Natural regeneration is very good in some places. The tree grows very rapidly indeed. In its youth it stands a certain amount of shade, but later on it is a light-loving tree. It is a soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. Isolated trees have been planted and small plantations made in various parts of the country. Planted under proper conditions and with favourable seasons, an average growth of 6 feet in height may be expected. The young trees are occasionally attacked by the leading-shoot borer, but this is not very serious, particularly if a suitable mixture with other trees has been formed.

This timber has been one of the main export products of the Sapeli and South Benin forests. The chief market for this wood was, previous to the war, in Hamburg. However, from Hamburg, the markets of Copenhagen, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Austria were also supplied. Being almost half as heavy again as Khaya Mahogany, it costs more in proportion to bring over to Europe. Owing to the better and larger size of the logs which can be obtained from these huge trees, there was in these markets a greater demand for this timber for counter-tops than for Khaya timber. This to some extent counterbalanced the disadvantage of the extra weight. This timber was also considered of a duller colour and more liable to split than the Khaya wood. However, as many of the trees from which the largest logs have been obtained are mature, and over-mature, it is natural that the wood cannot be in a prime condition.

The timber is very popular amongst the local people for the making of canoes and for house-building.

Entandrophragma cylindrica. Heavy Mahogany or Cedar Mahogany. Jebu, Oro, Issisi, Alepo, Alopa (Yoruba); Ikwabobo, Agiekpogo (Benin); Atore (Efik).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Oyo, Ondo, Benin, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. It is one of the common mahogany-trees of the evergreen and mixed deciduous forest zone. It is the tallest of all African trees, the bole alone often attaining a height exceeding 100 feet. It is also one of the straightest and most cylindrical trees in Africa. The root spurns are very slight compared to the size of the tree, and do not extend usually more than 10 feet up the stem. The bark is smooth and not unlike the beech; in old age, however, it becomes slightly pitted and the bark scales off in places. The crown is deeper and more spherical than in the case of Entandrophragma utilis. The ends of the branches are most conspicuous, with their most pronounced tufts of leaves. The leaf is often about 4 inches long, but in young shoots may attain a length of nearly 3 feet, with over thirty pairs of pinnæ. The slash is white, with small, yellow, stone-like granules in it. The bark is thick.

The capsule is nearly 6 inches long and an inch in diameter. It is similar in shape to that of Entandrophragma utilis, and opens in a similar way. The seeds are rather larger and the wings considerably longer. It is deciduous for about a week in November, when the flowers, which are of a light-greenish colour, appear, and then the leaves.

The sapwood is white and comparatively wide, except in very old trees. The wood, when freshly cut, smells slightly like a red herring, and in colour is not unlike the flesh of kippered herring.

The heartwood is of a red-brown colour, rather dulling on exposure to the air and becoming a dark-brown colour. The pores are very long, much more so than either in the E. utilis or the Khaya genus. The timber splits well, saws easily, and takes nails moderately well. It is not always easy to plane it down to a smooth surface. It has a distinct tendency to warp unless properly seasoned. It is not termite- proof, but the attacks of the white ants are slow. The sapwood is more commonly attacked by a lymexylon. For interior work it is very durable; sometimes it has a very pretty, dull-brown wavy sheen.

Natural regeneration is good in many places. Isolated trees have been planted and small plantations made in different parts of the country. The growth on the whole is even more rapid than in the case of E. utilis. In favourable localities it will exceed an annual height growth of 7 feet. Although it will stand a considerable amount of shade in its youth, it is more of a light-loving tree in old age. It is a soil-protecting and soil-improving tree.

This is one of the chief mahoganies exported from the Benin and Sapeli forests, but it does not attain such an average high price as that of the Khaya genus. However, from all accounts it appears that the majority of figured logs have been obtained from this species; this compensates to some extent the disadvantage of this being the heaviest wood of all the mahoganies. It often floats just level with the water, and has sometimes been known to sink. In pre-war days it used to fetch 4d. per superficial foot, and the best market for it was in Hamburg; but, as also in the case of E. utilis, the wood was supplied to the markets in Austria, Russia, etc. It is common to make three logs each 30 feet long from the bole. Both this tree and E. utilis yield some of the best curls which are obtained from the mahogany.

The local people used to be very fond of using this tree for making canoes, and I have seen a canoe over 80 feet long and having a draught of over 6 feet. It has also been largely used in house-building.

Lovoa Klaineana. African Walnut. Abuwe (Yoruba); Ikwahobo, or usually known amongst the timber men and forest officers as Anamomilla in Benin, Apobo (Jekri, Ijor).

It is one of the most prevalent trees on the banks of the Ogba stream in the Benin province, and it is also found in the Ondo, Abeokuta, Owerri and Calabar provinces of Nigeria.

This tree grows to a large size, reaching a girth of over 12 feet and a bole length of over 60 feet. The root spurns are slight compared to Mahogany, extending only from 4 to 6 feet up the stem.

Chief Characteristics.—The small, almost quadrangular-shaped capsule, which splits open with four sides and centre square in section with only eight seeds, two placed on each face, is about the size of a little finger. At its base the bole is not entirely circular in shape, but tends to form four distinct narrow small buttresses, giving it almost a quadrangular shape. The bark is a dark brown colour, which gets rougher with old age and scales off to a small extent. Compared to the size of the tree it is not very thick. In the younger trees it is quite smooth and more of a yellow-brown colour. The leaves are pinnate, with three or four pairs of pinnæ. The four- sided capsule is a most typical feature of this tree, and distinguishes it from Entandrophragma. The leaves are of a dark colour.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood is a good walnut-brown, sometimes with very striking dark-brown or black streaks in it. The sapwood is comparatively narrow and the heartwood forms comparatively early in the life of the tree. The wood is only moderately hard; it planes well, and takes nails; it saws easily, and splits moderately well. It is, however, attacked by termites, but not when used for interior work. It shrinks but little and does not warp very much. The grain is rather finer than that of the ordinary mahogany, but the pores are often much longer. It has a pleasant lustre, but tends to darken a little with age, especially when not exposed to the brightest light. The tree is a moderately fast-growing, shade-bearing species, with soil-protecting and soil-improving qualities. Natural regeneration appears to be moderate. It sprouts slightly from the stump. Seed years are none too frequent. The seeds themselves are soon eaten by boring insects when they lie on the ground; even when picked up they soon lose their germinative capacity, and should be planted within a month of being gathered, as they are so liable to get dry. The tree is a little exacting in regard to soil, apparently demanding plenty of moisture, depth and a good deal of humus. No plantations have been made with this tree, but a great number of isolated trees have been planted by timber-lease holders in their areas.

In 1906 samples of this timber were sold in the Liverpool market as African Walnut at 1d. per superficial foot. Since then, however, the qualities of this timber have become better known, and it now finds a ready sale at rates varying from 2d. to 5d. per superficial foot. Although it is a mahogany by family, it is usual to sell it as African Walnut, as the colour and texture of the wood are very similar to walnut.

Native Use.—In the Benin province it has been used for canoe-making.

Guarea Thompsonii. Cedar Mahogany, Cedar or Close-grained Mahogany. Sidu (Yoruba); Obobonikwi (Benin); Akpaku (Ibo Asaba).

It is a large forest tree of the evergreen forest zone, attaining a girth of 12 feet, which is most commonly found in the Benin district of Nigeria.

Chief Characteristics.—The trunk is dark-brown with smoothish bark, which has a tendency to scale off a little. The pinnate leaves are shiny and form very distinctive tufts at the ends of the branches, though not quite so much as in Entandrophragma.

The fruit, which is quite soft, is a dehiscent capsule, of a dark brown colour; when ripe, three black seeds covered with red pulp are released. The seeds are ellipsoid in shape and smaller than those of G. sp., Obobonufwa. The seed is nearly half an inch long and covered with white streaks following round its narrowest circumference. The crown is very thick and dense compared with G. sp., Obobonufwa. The bole length is shorter, and the shape of it is not so regular nor so round as that of G. sp., Obobonufwa. The crown is flatly spherical in shape, reaching fully a third of the total height of the tree. The flowers are yellow and borne in long spikes about 1 foot in length.

The sapwood is white and the heart of a mahogany-brown colour, with a slightish red tinge when freshly cut, which rapidly goes a light brown colour, though not such a light brown as in the case of G. sp., Obobonufwa. It has a strong cedar scent when freshly cut, and even the old wood retains this scent when planed up afresh. The grain is fine, though a little fibrous. The pores are long and open. It has, however, a nice sheen, giving a better appearance than that of G. sp., Obobonufwa. It planes easily, but does not split very well. It takes nails fairly easily and saws without difficulty. It is not termite- proof. It has considerable tensile strength and elasticity. In proportion the heartwood is very large and forms comparatively early in the life of the tree. It has a closer grain than any of the mahogany of the Benin district.

The tree is a fast-growing one, at first shade-bearing, and later a more light-demanding species, with soil-improving and soil-protecting qualities. Natural regeneration appears to be fair, though the seeds are eaten by insects, and they do not appear to keep their generative capacity for a great length of time. It appears to be rather exacting as to soil, liking one with a fair degree of moisture, mineral content and of considerable depth. No plantations have yet been made of this tree, but isolated specimens have been planted by the timber-lease holders. It bears good crops of seed every few years.

Owing to the comparative shortage of mahogany trees on some areas, this tree is now felled as a timber for export, and is sold as Scented Mahogany at 3d. to 6d. per superficial foot. Locally it has been cut for planks.

Guarea sp. Cedar Mahogany, Scented Mahogany. Sida, Sendar, Odogbo, Akokogbo (Yoruba); Obobonufwa (Benin); Akpaku (Ibo Asaba).

It is a large forest tree of the evergreen zone, attaining a girth of over 12 feet, which is most commonly met with in the Benin district of Nigeria.

Chief Characteristics.—The bole is covered with smooth grey bark, which peels off very gradually in large pieces more like a plane; it is sometimes relieved by patches of yellow or red lichens. It has tufts of pinnate leaves at the end of the branches.

The fruit is a greyish-brown coloured, dehiscent capsule, which contains three large seeds covered with orange-coloured flesh. The seed is black, and wider and thicker than the G. Thompsonii, though the length is about the same; this makes it flatly ovate. The seed is covered with white streaks in the same way as Guarea Thompsonii. The root spurns are narrow and extend further up the stem than in the case of G. Thompsonii, though in the younger trees the stem is very cylindrical. The silvery-coloured bark is most typical of this tree, thus distinguishing it most clearly from G. Thompsonii. It is very similar in appearance to Sideroxylon Aylmeri of Sierra Leone, so that indeed it may be a species of Sideroxylon, or even the same.

It is found in the Ondo, Abeokuta and Benin provinces of Nigeria.

The sapwood is white and narrow and the heartwood light-brown, rapidly darkening to a more mahogany brown. When freshly cut it has a strong cedar scent, which goes off to a certain extent when it is dry, but on planing the wood up again there is always a slight cedar scent. It is closer grained than G. Thompsonii, but it has not so much sheen. On the whole the colour is poorer. It is not considered quite so durable as G. Thompsonii, nor is it termite-proof. It planes well and saws easily, splits moderately well, and takes nails without difficulty. It is of a very light colour for mahogany. It has a good, mellow texture.

It is at first slightly shade-bearing, but later a light-demanding tree. It grows comparatively rapidly. It thoroughly protects the soil and enriches it with its leaf fall. Natural regeneration appears to be only moderate, perhaps owing to the fact that the seeds soon lose their germinative capacity or are eaten by animals. It appears to be somewhat exacting as to soil, liking one with considerable depth, mineral content and a fair degree of moisture.

In 1906 sample logs of this timber were considered of a lower value than mahogany, and were sold as Scented Mahogany at 3½d. to 3¾d. per superficial foot. Since that date the timber has been regularly shipped from the Benin district and sold as Scented Mahogany, and it is usually worth from 2½d. to 6d. per superficial foot. Owing to the comparative scarcity of large girth mahoganies (Khaya sp.) in some localities, it is being felled in increasingly large quantities.

Trichilia Heudelottii. Rere, Ako Irere, Asana (Yoruba); Ovallo (Benin).

It is found in the Abeokuta and Benin provinces of Nigeria.

It has a smaller leaf than Trichilia sp., and is rather a smaller tree than T. Prieuriana. The heartwood is brown-red and very hard; the sapwood is white.

It is a slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil- improving tree of the mixed forest zone.

Occasionally it is used as a house-building timber, when there is nothing else available.

Trichilia sp. Iseko (Yoruba); Ogiovalo (Benin).

It has a larger leaf than T. Heudelotii. It is found in the Abeokuta, Ondo and Benin provinces of Nigeria. The heartwood is brownish-red and the sapwood is white. It reaches rather a larger size than T. Heudelotii, attaining a bole length of about 15 feet and a girth of 5 feet. The seeds are very similar to those of P. Prieuriana. It is termite-proof.

It is a somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration appears to be slight. It apparently demands a good soil, and is found in the mixed deciduous forest.

It has not yet been tried as an export timber, but it might be useful as a hard mahogany, both for export and for local use.

Amongst the natives it is occasionally used as a house-building timber, the tree having a fork at a convenient distance from the ground.

Trichilia Prieuriana. Awe, Eriagbo (Yoruba); Igogo (Benin); Somabari (Oban, Ekoi).

Chief Characteristics.—It is a dark-foliaged tree, usually found dominated in the mixed forest, with thin, scaly bark and thin, long leaves, with four or five pairs of pinnæ. The seeds are reminiscent of Guarea.

Distribution.—It is found in the mixed deciduous forests of the Abeokuta, Ibadan and Benin provinces of Nigeria.

Timber.—It has a hard, red heartwood of close grain and white sapwood; it does not shrink nor warp to any extent.

It is a slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil- improving tree. Natural regeneration appears to be poor, perhaps owing to the fact that the seeds decay very rapidly when lying in the ground.

In the dry season the dew condenses very readily on this tree, and thus makes the ground very moist underneath.

It does not reach really export timber size. It has not been used either for export or locally. However, for smaller constructional work it deserves a trial.

Turræa Vogelii. Asha omode (Yoruba); Ovioza (Benin).

It is rather an uncommon tree of the Benin province of Nigeria. It is quite small, only attaining a girth of about 2 feet. It usually stands in the shade as part of the undergrowth of the evergreen forest.

The natives have no particular use for it.

Turræa heterophylla.

This tree is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. It is a small tree which has been specially noticed in the Ilaro Forest Reserve. The Yorubas do not have any special use for this species of Meliaceæ. It is considerably harder than either mahogany or cedar mahogany.

Ekebergia Senegalensis (Juss.).

It is a medium-sized tree found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. It is distinguished by its white flowers, and is found growing in the Olokemeji Arboretum. The leaves are large for Meliaceæ, but the position of the flower-stalk and the bark are typical of this family. The natives have not used the wood thus far. It would make rather an ornamental shrub-like tree in a garden.

Melia Azedarach. Bead Tree or Persian Lilac. Eke Oyinbo (Yoruba).

A tree found growing plentifully. It is of medium size, bearing a very ornamental flower. It yields timber, gum, oil and medicaments, and is also used in the preparation of liquors. The fruit is poisonous.

? Mahogany. Onyemo (Benin).

This tree is somewhat uncommon in the Benin province of Nigeria. It is closely allied to the African Walnut. It is apparently a mahogany, so far as the texture of the timber is concerned, and the grain is very similar too. It is a medium-sized tree with a bark less pitted than that of the Entandrophragmas and with a more greenish tinge. The slash is white, the sapwood whitish-yellow and the heartwood light-brown, becoming darker on exposure to the air. It has occasionally been cut in Benin and used as mahogany.

=Polygalaceæ.=

Carpolobia lutea (Don). Oshunshun (Yoruba).

It is found in the Abeokuta and Benin provinces of Nigeria. A shrub- like tree.

Polygala arenaria. Okuturupu (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

=Dichapetalaceæ.=

Chailletia floribunda (Planch). Kukumarugbo (Yoruba).

This is a small tree of the mixed deciduous forest zone. It is a shade-bearing and soil-protecting tree.

The timber is hard and durable. Locally it has not been used to any extent, though it might find a place in temporary buildings as verandah-posts or window-frames. The timber is said to be termite- proof. The flowers are very conspicuous and quite enliven the forest with their bright colours.

=Euphorbiaceæ.=

Ricinodendron Africanus. African Wood Oil Nut. Erimado, Ekku (Ib.); Funfun Puttuputtu (Yoruba); Okkwen, Okwen-seva (Benin).

It is a large or more often medium-sized tree with smooth grey bark, rather thin branches in more or less whorls, and open crown. The fruit has two lobes, with one seed in each lobe. The leaf is digitate, with a varying number of digits, from three to five. The leaves are rather smaller and much thinner and finer in texture than those of R. Rautenii. The root spurns are smaller, and do not appear much more than 1 foot to 2 feet above the ground, nor do the roots themselves usually extend above the ground. It reaches a girth of about 8 feet.

To face p. 332.

The timber is a little more closely grained than that of R. Rautenii, but otherwise very similar. On the whole the bole has a less good shape, tapering rather more in proportion to its height. The timber length of the tree does not usually exceed 25 feet. Natural regeneration is very good, though this tree does not bear seed so heavily as the sister species. It sprouts well from the stump, but the stump does not last. In its youth it will stand a little shade, but is really a light-loving tree, with soil-protecting, soil-improving qualities. It is not quite so rapid a growing tree as R. Rautenii, even though it is one of the quickest growing trees. It appears to like a moist, comparatively rich soil.

In 1906 samples of this timber were sold in the Liverpool market as a species of mahogany. It is, however, probable that these were logs from a different kind of tree, as the wood is too dull a brown colour to be really like mahogany. Locally it has not been sawn up for planks, but deserves a trial as a box-making and pattern-making wood.

Native Use.—It is felled indiscriminately with R. Rautenii and used for a similar purpose.

Ricinodendron Rautenii. Yoruba Coffin Wood. Ekku, Puttuputtu (Yoruba); Okwen-seva, Okkwen nebo (Benin).

A large tree, up to 12 feet in girth, with stout branches and roughly fissured bark reminding one of oak. The fruit is slightly three-lobed, containing three seeds. The leaf is digitate, with the number of digits varying from five to seven. The leaves are larger and thicker and with a rougher surface than those of R. Africanus. The crown is thicker, more widespread, and roughly spherical in shape. The roots usually come out of the ground near the base of the tree and form rough root spurns, extending 3 or 4 feet up the bole of the tree. The bole reaches a length of 30 feet.

It is one of the commonest trees in the moist secondary forests and at the edge of the mixed deciduous forests in Benin, Abeokuta, Calabar.

The timber of this tree was described as a “species of mahogany” and suitable for the Liverpool market in 1906.

Native Use.—By the Yorubas it is cut down and sawn up into planks for making coffins. Mostly medium-sized trees are used for this purpose. None of the natives apparently know how to use the nuts.

Ricinodendron sp. Species of Mahogany. Okwen seni (Benin).

The African oil-nut, with four nuts in each fruit, appears to be the same, but this larger number of nuts is the specially distinguishing feature, and has been given a distinct name by the Benin people. It is, however, rather doubtful if it is really a different species from R. Rautenii.

Native Use.—It is used in much the same way as the other two species.

Uapaca Heudelotii. Mahogany. Yeye (Yoruba); Oyen (Benin); Ile (Bonny and New Calabar).

It is found in the Owerri and Yoruba provinces of Nigeria. With its slightly curved trunk and large mass of widespreading aerial roots, extending almost to a quarter up the height of the tree, it is distinguishable from other trees of this zone. Usually found growing near water, or in regions that are flooded periodically. It sends out fresh red-coloured aerial roots. The leaves are somewhat shiny and give a greyish appearance in the distance. The bark is finely fissured and dark brown. Often covered with moss at the base. It attains a girth of about 10 feet and a bole length of about 25 feet.

It is a somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing tree. It protects the soil and enriches it with the fall of its leaves. Its mass of aerial roots tends to moderate the speed of the flooded river and holds the banks up, preventing corrosion, and in many cases tends to help the formation of higher and more solid banks, owing to the deposit of sand between and near the network of aerial roots.

The timber is very similar to mahogany in grain, though a little harder. It has considerable elasticity. It is finely fibrous, and does not plane up with such a smooth finish, nor does it split well. It is termite-resisting and moderately tough. It saws with difficulty. The sapwood is stained with reddish colouring matter, and the heartwood is a dull red-brown. The pores in the timber are longer, and resemble mahogany in this respect; though, being fibrous to the touch, the difference is shown.

The timber has not been exported, nor has it been sawn up for local use. Occasionally it is used by the natives for house-building, and some of the crooked roots and branches are used as ribs for boats and building up canoes.

Uapaca Guineensis (Muell. Arg.). False Mahogany. Abo Emido, also known as Yeye and Yere (Yoruba); Onye (Benin).

Chief Characteristics.—Large aerial roots supporting the bole at a height of 8 to 10 feet from the ground. When cut, the slash is red; the sapwood is whitish, tinged with the red colouring matter of the heartwood, which is a dull red.

Distribution.—Banks of the Ogun, Olokemeji Forest Reserve.

In most respects the timber is similar to that of Heudelottii. On the whole, however, this species is a little harder than the other.

This tree is somewhat slow-growing and stands less shade than the Heudelotii. It is of the greatest value, with its aerial roots, in protecting and increasing the height and stability of the river banks at the edge of the dry forest zone. It is one of the few trees that are not washed out of the banks in the flood season, and even when they do fall over into the river they remain attached to the bank and lessen the force of the current. Natural regeneration is none too good.

The timber has not been exported, nor has it been felled locally for conversion into planks. Occasionally the natives use the smaller trees for house-building. They also consider the places in the rivers immediately near or overhung by one of these trees as the best localities for fishing.

Bridelia micrantha. Yoruba Ironwood. Ira Odan, Asa Gidi (Yoruba).

It is found in the Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a small tree or shrub up to 8 feet high, with a large alternate leaf. The bark tends to be fibrous and can be stripped off in a similar way to the other Bridelias.

The timber is very hard, moderately durable, and said to be termite- proof. Its small size and somewhat crooked nature hinders its more extensive use.

It is occasionally of use for house-poles in temporary buildings, and makes good firewood, giving intense heat. The leaves yield a rich humus and improve the soil.

Native Use.—The bark is mixed with Hausa salts and then drunk with lime and water as an aperient.

Bridelia Zenkeri, syn. atroviridis. Yoruba Ironwood. Asha, Asha ragha (Yoruba); Oviaruza, Assivi, Ogangan (Benin).

It is a comparatively common tree of the Abeokuta, Oyo, Benin and Owerri provinces of Nigeria. The roughly fissured bark, scaling off in criss-cross fashion, in papery or fibrous layers, is most typical of the tree. The bole is short, seldom reaching a greater length than 15 feet. It is usually forked about this height and then spreads out, rather reminiscently of the elm. It yields the hardest wood of all the African trees, except perhaps Okuta (the stone).

It is occasionally used for house-building by the natives.

Bridelia stenocarpa. Benin Ironwood. Arasha, Asha, Aroro Ashasha (Ondo), Aiveygbo (Eg.) (Yoruba); Assivi (Benin).

This tree is found in the Benin and Calabar provinces of Nigeria, where it is somewhat prevalent, but found always singly in the forest. In habit it is not at all unlike the wych elm. The leaf is of similar size and shape, the bark peels off in fibrous layers, but is otherwise fissured in lattice-work fashion. For the size of the tree the bark is comparatively thin; the slash is light-brown, sometimes a whitish- grey. The sapwood is white and the heartwood is dark-brown and very hard. It saws well, but is almost impossible to split, and it will not take nails. It has a short bole of about 20 feet, is deciduous for a few days in the year, but is otherwise a soil-protecting and soil- improving tree. Samples were at one time on the way to be exported, but were sunk by accident, the wood, of course, being much heavier than water.

The natives occasionally use it for house-building.

Excœcaria sp. Orupa (Yoruba).

It is a small tree, up to 18 inches in girth, with smooth, yellowish- red bark, and has maple-like seeds in pairs joined at the base. The stem gives a greyer impression than that of Ormosia laxiflora, and it is also much smoother.

Distribution.—It is found in the dry-zone forest of the Ibadan, Abeokuta and Onitsha provinces of Nigeria.

Timber.—Not very hard and of a yellowish colour.

Native Use.—The bark and roots are used medicinally. It is sold in the Lagos medicine market.

Antidesma venosum. Aroro (Yoruba).

It is a small tree, about 9 feet high. Found in the Olokemeji Reserve.

Antidesma sp. Ogbamaton (Benin).

Found in the Benin province.

Tragia Manniana. Esisi (Yoruba); Ogangan (Benin).

Found in the Ondo and Benin provinces.

Microdesmis puberula (Hook.). The Benin Apata Wood. Apata (Yoruba); Ehranpata, Esanpata, Omomeran (Benin).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan and Benin provinces of Nigeria.

It is a small tree with hard wood of a brown colour. It reaches about 15 feet high with a girth of about 12 inches.

On the whole this is a slow-growing, soil-protecting and soil- improving shrub. It serves a useful purpose in the undergrowth and is of local value as well.

Native Use.—The wood is used for making the musical instrument known to the Benin as Apata, a kind of harp-shaped frame made of wire, but much smaller.

Microdesmis sp. Essunsun, Ubelluname, Ubellunowe (Benin); Njorgora (Oban, Ekoi); Akiti (Ibo Owerri).

It is a common tree of the Benin, Ondo, Ogoja and Calabar provinces of Nigeria. A medium-sized tree of about 6 feet in girth, attaining a bole length of about 40 feet. Its small, pretty five-petalled flowers fall off the tree and cover the path or neighbouring bushes; their scent is very pleasant and is reminiscent of honey and flowers.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood light red brown, rather hard, of close grain and close texture; it planes moderately well, but it is rather hard to saw and does not split. It is durable under cover, but does not last when exposed to the weather. It hardens very considerably when exposed to the air. The timber was used for verandah-posts in the Calabar district, but did not prove very suitable, as a large borer often attacked it. The timber is not absolutely termite-proof. The natives occasionally use the wood for house-posts.

Phyllanthus reticulatus. Iranje (Yoruba).

Found in the Olokemeji Reserve.

Phyllanthus sp. Awe, Erigaba (Yoruba); Eghogho (Benin).

Found in the Olokemeji Reserve.

Cyclostemon. Oyen (Benin). This may be the same as Uapaca Heudelotii.

It is a medium-sized tree of the Abeokuta and Benin provinces of Nigeria. It has aerial roots and likes a damp, moist soil. It has red flowers which come out in February. It yields a hard, reddish wood, which is rather fibrous.

Manniophyton Africanum. Ebumen (Benin).

This is a small creeper similar to that known as Okwe by the Benis.

Manniophyton sp. Okwe (Benin).

This is a long creeper found in the Benin and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria.

The nut of this creeper is most commonly seen in the cooked state in the markets, when it appears like a dark-coloured marble. The soft shell can be cracked between the fingers, and the hardish white nut is seen inside, being about 1 inch in diameter and very meaty. A few of these almost take the place of a meal. Thus far the plant has not been cultivated, the natives only picking the fruit as they find it in the forest. The fruit is four-cornered and contains one nut.

Palissya cordata. Ipa (Yoruba); Unwonwen (Benin); Abo Asha (Ibadan).

It is found in the Benin forest. A medium-sized tree, which might be examined with a view to being a source of dyeing material.

Macaranga Barteri. Arasa (Yoruba).

A small tree or shrub found in Tropical West Africa.

Claoxylon Barteri (Hook.). Itakun, Okare (Yoruba).

It has small flowers. Found near Ipetu.

=Anacardiaceæ.=

Spondias lutea. Non-indigenous Hog Plum or Yellow Plum. Iyeye, Akika Aka (Yoruba); Ogikan or Ogege (Benin); Nsukakara (Efik).

Although indigenous to India, it has become very widespread in its area of distribution in Africa, where it is found, partly planted or as a “garden escape,” in all the Southern Provinces of Nigeria. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a girth of about 5 feet and a height of about 50 feet. The very evenly and comparatively deeply fissured bark, in comparison to the size of the tree, is the most typical feature of it. A very open crown, and few straight upward- and outward-tending branches, with very slight side branches and twigs also distinguish this tree from many of the forest trees. The little yellow fruit, about 1 inch long and ¾ inch in diameter, is very much like an elongated Mirabel plum. It is between an eighth and a quarter of an inch of yellow flesh when the nut or stone is reached inside. The leaves are thin and pinnate, with ten to twelve pairs of pinnæ on each leaf. Sometimes the bark is rough and almost prickly. The branches and cortex in smaller trees are more or less covered with little nodules which sometimes develop into small thorns. The fruit is sweet, but rather sharp to the taste, almost tart. It is, however, refreshing in the hot weather whilst on the march.

The timber is whitish-yellow, not very hard, although it is scarcely attacked by white ants, chiefly perhaps owing to the fact that any green piece of wood with some bark on it will grow when lying on the ground. It planes well, splits easily, and takes nails.

It is a rapid-growing, light-loving tree which does not thoroughly protect the soil nor enrich it very much with its foliage. Natural regeneration is poor. It is most readily propagated by means of cuttings, which may even be about 6 inches in diameter and quite as long as posts. With the spread of farms and other buildings it tends to become more widely distributed over the country. It demands a moist soil with a fair amount of depth.

The timber does not show such qualities as to justify its export, but occasionally the larger trees might be sawn up for planks for local use. It is very useful for making live fences, which grow fast and do not cast much shade. In fruit the tree also looks very pretty.

Native Use.—The tree is used for live fences for gardens and farms. The fruit is eaten, but not to an enormous extent, as it is said to form tartar on the teeth. Amongst the Yorubas, parts of the roots and branches are used for axe and hoe handles.

Spondias sp. Ekika Aja (Yoruba).

This tree may be the same as Pseudospondias microcarpa, but it has only been determined from a specimen obtained from the Oshun Reserve. This is somewhat further south and in a moister region than the Pseudospondias microcarpa.

Pseudospondias microcarpa. Okika (Yoruba).

It is a somewhat rare tree in the Abeokuta and Ibadan provinces of Nigeria. Apparently there is a small-fruited tree of this species in the Olokemeji Reserve. The tree itself attains a larger size than S. lutea, reaching a girth of 8 feet and a bole of 20 feet. The growth is less free and the bark is much darker and more fissured than S. lutea. It has not been felled for export; the natives have no particular use either for the wood or the fruit.

Anacardium Occidentale. Non-indigenous Cashew Nut. Kaju (Yoruba).

This tree has become a garden escape on the Ekoi plains near Lagos, where it forms dense thickets. It is not indigenous to West Africa. The tree bears well, and the Brazilians resident in Lagos make a jam out of the fruit. The nuts are roasted and regularly sold in the market, to Europeans chiefly. The branches of the tree are sometimes lopped off and cut into short pieces for firewood. It is usually of very sprawling habit, with a short bole only 3 or 4 feet long. It is not found in the forest proper.

Botanical name unknown. Blacksmith’s Charcoal Wood. Akkun (Yoruba); Azimommon, Onyenu (Benin).

It is found in the Benin and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria, Obagie Reserve and Oyon River.

It is a large tree, with large leaves and compact crown. It has a very small, berry-like fruit; found growing on moist soil in the evergreen forest, sometimes found in the fringing forest of river banks of a dry zone.

Timber.—The timber is very hard, grey in colour and perhaps flexible. The bark is rough and finely fissured. It is inclined to peel off. The slash is pink. The wood is very fibrous, and in the cross-cut section the pieces between the fibres look like very small pinholes. The wood when freshly cut has a sweet, rather pleasant smell.

European Use.—It has not, so far, been sold for export or local use.

Native Use.—The stems of the small trees are used for axe-handles, and this tree is esteemed by the blacksmith for making charcoal. It is also cut into planks.

Anacardia sp. Rat Poison Mango. Akkum (Yoruba); Pweku Pweku, Azemome (Benin).

The Benin native name means literally “Rat-kill, rat-kill,” but I have never been able to discover exactly how the poison is used. It is rather a rare tree of the Benin forest of the Benin province. It reaches a height of about 80 feet and a girth of 9 feet. It bears a large fruit about the size and shape of a good mango. This is certainly one of the best fruits of the native trees. It has a much sweeter scent than that of the mango, and the taste is also much sweeter. From experiments made it is not poisonous to chickens, goats nor sheep, but none of them, except the chickens, took it at all willingly. The fruit is said to be very poisonous to man, but its delicious flavour tempts the tasting of it. Certainly, in very small quantities it is not poisonous, and it would be interesting to know in what quantities it is so. The slash is yellowish-white. The sapwood is white and the heartwood of a dull brown colour. It is a hard and heavy wood. It saws with difficulty. It is a shade-bearing and soil- protecting tree. The natural reproduction appears to be poor.

The timber has not been used locally, nor has it been sampled for export.

=Celastraceæ.=

Gymnosporia Senegalensis. Shepolo-hun (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

=Icacinaceæ.=

Pyrenacantha sp. nov. Abara (Yoruba).

It is found in the Epe Colony of Lagos, Nigeria.

=Sapindaceæ.=

Lecaniodiscus cupanoides. Akika. Aka-Ishin (Yoruba); Utan-tan (Benin).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ondo, Warri, Ogoja and Calabar provinces of Nigeria. It is a small, shrub-like tree, reaching a girth of about 1 foot and a height of 15 feet. The leaves are very small, the timber extremely hard and cross-grained. The wood is used by the natives for rafters, hoe-handles and sometimes mortar-pestles; the root is said to have medicinal properties.

Blighia sapida. Akee or Akee Apple. Ishin Ishin-oka (Yoruba); Ukpi nufwa (Benin).

It is found in the Southern Provinces of Nigeria. It has an edible aril, which is yellow in colour. It is cooked before being consumed. It is a very ornamental tree, and bears fruit when quite young, which, being orange-coloured, looks very pretty amongst the green foliage.

The fruit is more or less triangular in shape, and when ripe splits open up to the base, releasing three black nuts with a yellow aril. The fruit is orange-coloured with a pink flush. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a girth of about 6 feet and a height of about 60 feet. The bark is smooth and grey in colour and comparatively thin. The crown is oval in shape and much more open than is the case with Phialodiscus sp. It has a moderately large pinnate leaf with two pairs of pinnæ. The flowers are small and comparatively inconspicuous. It is found chiefly in the mixed deciduous forest zone. It is most frequently seen in the neighbourhood of villages, where it has probably been planted.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood brown, moderately hard, durable and termite-proof. It planes well, though occasionally it is cross- grained. The wood is of fine texture and has a certain amount of sheen. It saws well, but does not split easily. It takes nails only moderately well. It tends to darken a little on exposure to the air.

This tree is moderately fast-growing, at first shade-bearing and subsequently light-demanding. It is also a soil-protecting and soil- improving tree. It appears to like comparatively rich soil, though it may also be seen on poor ground, where it does not thrive. Natural regeneration is not good, chiefly owing to the fact that many animals eat the seeds, besides human beings. It will bear fruit in the fifth year, more especially from stump shoots. It sprouts well from the stump and stands a great deal of pruning.

The timber has not been cut for export, and only occasionally has it been sawn up for local use. It is, however, worthy of further attention as a local building timber. As an ornamental tree it is worthy of a place in a large garden. With its open crown it is a comparatively clean tree, and does not harbour flies and insects.

Native Use.—In places of timber scarcity it is occasionally used for house-poles. The aril of the fruit is eaten after being cooked, but apparently this custom is much more prevalent in the West Indies amongst the descendants of the African slaves. In many parts of Nigeria it is quite unknown as an edible fruit.

Phialodiscus sp.?. Bush Akee. Awewe, Ishin Oko, Isinko (Yoruba); Ukpi nikwi (Benin).

Identified from a specimen in the Forestry Arboretum, Calabar.

Chief Characteristics.—The capsule splits into three and allows three black seeds to escape, with small yellow aril round the base. The whole fruit and the individual seeds are much smaller than Blighia sapida, though, as the Benin name indicates, this is so similar that it is called the black variety of Ukpi. The fruit is triangular in shape, otherwise very much the same size as African Oak, Oldfieldia Africana.

Found in the Calabar, Owerri, Benin, Ondo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

Blighia sp. Ishin Oko, Oko Ishin (Yoruba); Ukpi nikwi (Benin).

Distribution.—Ibadan, Abeokuta, Jebu Ode, Benin, Owerri and Calabar provinces of Nigeria. Probably same as Phialodiscus sp.

Chief Characteristics.—The very insignificant white flower-spikes, hidden away amongst the leaves, but attracting numerous bees in February and March, characterize this variety. It is a medium-sized tree, with light-green foliage, thin, lanceolate leaves, a thin grey bark, smooth and close and oval-shaped crown, through which one cannot see. The capsule is dehiscent, with three black seeds with yellow arils, smaller than Blighia sapida, but otherwise quite similar in shape, except that the capsule is more triangular than that of B. sapida, and shorter also and of a dark brown colour. It is not unlike the fruit of the real African Oak, Oldfieldia Africana, except that this is quite spherical in shape.

Timber.—White sapwood and light-brown heartwood, which is moderately hard. It does not plane well, and is sometimes cross-grained; the texture of the wood is fine, but is a little fibrous. It saws easily, but does not split well. The bole being very cylindrical in shape, comparatively long, even-widthed planks can be cut out of it.

It is a somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration does not appear to be good. It is somewhat exacting as to soil, and does not thrive in a moist sand. It is somewhat fire-resisting. In the dry season a good deal of dew is condensed on the leaves, but not so much as in other genera, such as Anona.

The timber has not been cut for export, nor has it been sawn up for local use. It deserves, however, further trial as a local building timber. A specimen, from which the tree was determined, stands in the forest region of Calabar.

Use.—Native implements of various kinds.

To face p. 342.

Deinbollia pinnata. Oju Agbigbo (Yoruba); Ebegogogbo (Benin).

It is a small, shrub-like tree found in the Abeokuta and Benin provinces. The small orange-brown-coloured seeds are of similar shape to, though smaller than, Blighia sapida; they are, however, more elliptical. The stem of the tree, if found with the proper crook in it, is used for making hoe-handles. The leaf is pinnate. This tree only attains a small size, and is found as undergrowth in the mixed deciduous forest zone.

Cupania akeesia. Small Ukpi nufwa. Ishin-jeje, Ishin-gege (Yoruba); Ukpi nufwa (Benin).

This is a small, shrub-like tree, common in the Abeokuta and Benin provinces of Nigeria.

=Rhamnaceæ.=

Zizyphus mucronata (Willd.). Walking-stick Wood. Ekanesie adie (Yoruba).

This is a shrub-like tree of the dry-zone forest, but does not bear such a nice fruit as that of Z. jujuba.

=Tiliaceæ.=

Glyphea Grewioides (Hook.). Atori (Yoruba); Uwenyriotan, Uwemriotan (Benin).

It is a small tree, not much more than a large shrub, with small leaves, and very common in the undergrowth of the evergreen forest. It is not a hard wood.

It is found in the Benin, Calabar, Abeokuta, Ondo and Ibadan provinces of Nigeria. It is usually found as one of the smaller trees forming the undergrowth in the evergreen forest. It yields a strong, hard wood near the junction of the roots with the stem, though otherwise it is soft.

It is a shade-bearer, and usually grows in a moist place. Reproduction by seed, judging by the amount of self-grown seedlings found, must be good. It thoroughly protects the soil and enriches it. It thus serves a useful purpose in the undergrowth of evergreen forests.

Native Use.—It is used as a “Ju-ju” whip in Benin and for walking- sticks. Small stump shoots can also be used for yam supports and for making hoe-handles.

Cistanthera sp. False Hill Mahogany. Oro, Apata (?) (Yoruba); Abolo (?) (Benin).

It is found in the Abeokuta and Benin (?) provinces of Nigeria. It is a very common tree on the hill-sides of the Olokemeji Reserve, and to a lesser extent in the Ilaro Reserve. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a growth of 8 feet and the bole length of about 40 feet. The bark is very curious, with occasional very small, long and narrow fissures and tiny pits scattered more or less a foot apart up and down the stem. It is almost gregarious in habit.

The timber is a red-brown colour with a white sapwood. It is very similar to mahogany and could probably be sold as such. It is moderately durable. A tree which fell down in the Olokemeji Reserve during 1910 was not absolutely unsound in 1915.

It is apparently a slight shade-bearer and rather slow grower. Reproduction by seed is evidently rather doubtful, as few or no self- sown seedlings are found in the neighbouring forest. It has not been cut for local use, nor for export, though sample logs should be tried on the Liverpool market to test its value.

The natives use the roots for medicinal purposes, but they do not use the timber.

Grewia carpinifolia. Itakum Okere (Yoruba).

Olokemeji.

Grewia tetragastris. Ora-Igho (Yoruba).

It is a shrub, reaching a height of about 5 feet, of the mixed deciduous forest in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria (Olokemeji Reserve).

Triumfetta rhomboidea. Boko pupa, Akobolobolo, Ilasa omodo (Yoruba); Nesuwa (Benin).

Triumfetta cordifolia. Esura (Yoruba).

Triumfetta sp. Apiko (Yoruba).

Corchorus acutangulus. Abo-jaga (Yoruba).

Corchorus olitorius. Eyo, Ganbe (Yoruba).

These are common plants in the Ogoja and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

They yield long-stapled fibre worth about £27 a ton. Owing to the fact that they grow wild and are not cultivated by the natives, the difficulty is to be able to collect sufficient quantities in one locality to pay for the cost of retting, baling, etc., to make the fibre production a paying proposition.

=Malvaceæ.=

Hibiscus esculentus (F.). Okra or Achro (fruit).

In most provinces of Nigeria.

Hibiscus Grewioides.

Yoruba country (?).

Hibiscus quinquilobus (G. Don). Onegozi (Benin).

Benin.

Sida carpinifolia (Linn.). Oshopotu Dudu (Yoruba).

It is found in Abeokuta province of Nigeria, and is used by the local people for making fibre.

Urena lobata. Bolobolo Fibre. Bolobolo (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

It is a comparatively well-known fibre-plant, but has not, however, been cultivated, the natives having many other profitable crops to grow.

=Bombacaceæ.=

Eriodendron Orientale. White Silk-Cotton Tree, Blind Wood or Kapok, Cotton Tree. Araba, Eggun (Yoruba); Okha (Benin); Ukum (Efik); Akbo (Ibo, Asaba); Shakka (Brass).

It is a common tree in all the Southern Provinces of Nigeria, though it is not found in the most northerly part of the drier ones. With the exception of a few scented mahoganies, this is the largest African forest tree. Its huge root buttresses reach up over 20 feet from the ground. Its giant limbs, as thick as an ordinary tree-trunk, stretch out almost 100 feet from, and are supported on, the great column of the bole, often itself over 100 feet high. Large muscular-like protrusions join up the limbs with the trunk and the latter with the root buttresses, giving the tree a peculiar look. The flowers are white, with yellow stamens. The fruit is a soft, oblong, dehiscent capsule, opening when ripe and releasing black seeds about twice the size of B.B. shot. Attached to this seed is a ball of white fluff. This last is known commercially as Kapok. At the time of the bursting of the capsule of this tree the whole air near by appears filled with white flakes, and the ground later is white as if after a fall of snow. It is almost the quickest growing of all the African forest trees. It grows in the evergreen forest as well as in the mixed deciduous forest.

The timber is white and soft and inclined to have little yellow streaks. When dry it is brittle, though very fibrous to cut when fresh by either axe or saw. It soon rots when exposed to the weather. Natural regeneration by seed is good, especially on the banks of rivers. It tends to extend its area of distribution with the clearing of the heavy forest area in making farms. It is a light-demanding tree.

In Germany, before the war, African Kapok found a ready sale at about 9d. per pound. Samples of Kapok were sent to England and were valued at less than those of the East Indian variety.

The timber has been used as a “blind” wood for furniture, and had a regular market at Hamburg before the war. It has been tested in England for pulp-making, but the fibre is stated to be too short, and so it is of no use for this purpose.

Native Use.—The Kapok is used for stuffing pillows, for which 1s. apiece is charged. Large oblong pieces of the root buttresses are used as native doors and as drying slabs for fresh dyed clothes. Whenever timber fails it is used for fishing canoes (the cheapest kind).

Eriodendron anfractuosum. Cotton Tree, similar to Orientale. Araba Eggun (Yoruba); Okha (Benin); Shakka (Brass).

Was determined from Western Province material, but it is doubtful whether it is a different species from that found in other parts of Nigeria.

Bombax reflexum. Red-flowering Cotton Tree. Ponpola, Lauro (Ibadan, Yoruba); Obokha (Benin); Onihokha, Benin (when in flower); Titiro (Egbado).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Owerri and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, where it is often seen in the mixed forests and in clearings in the evergreen forest zone.

Chief Characteristics.—It has a larger leaf and thorns than the other Buonopozense (?) (Onikokha of Benin). The most typical feature is the very thick, tulip-like red flower of this tree. This falls to the ground, and is seen on roadways and pathways, indicating the presence of this tree. In February or March, when the flowers appear, the tree is bare, so that the bright-red flowers make it all the more striking. The tree is smaller than the Eriodendron Orientale, attaining a girth of about 12 feet and a bole length of 50 feet. The root spurns are much slighter, in most cases scarcely amounting to small buttresses. The cortex is more soft and spongy than E. Orientale.

The timber is white, very soft, not quite so tough nor fibrous as E. Orientale, but rather more porous. It planes more easily, dries rather better, splits with less difficulty than E. Orientale, and saws with less trouble.

It is a very fast-growing, light-loving tree, which does not protect or enrich the soil very much with its leaf fall. Natural regeneration appears to be fair, though, considering the enormous number of flowers almost each year, it is surprising that the tree does not spread more rapidly in new clearings in the forest.

The timber has not been tried for export nor for local use.

The bark, roots and leaves are used amongst the Yorubas for medicinal purposes. The bush deer eat the flowers, when they fall: the Benin native says if he does not call the tree Onihokha, the deer will not come and eat it.

Bombax sp.?, Bombax buonopozense?. Ponponla (Ibadan, Yoruba); Obokha, Onihokha (Benin).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ogoja and Benin provinces of Nigeria, in the mixed forests, where it is not very common.

Chief Characteristics.—Compared to Bombax reflexum it has a smaller leaf, smaller thorns, but not so many on the stem. It has a similar red flower, opening, however, much more widely. It reaches about the same size as the Bombax.

The timber appears to be very similar in most ways to B. reflexum. It has not been felled for export, nor has it been used for planks for local use. Occasionally the leaves are used for medicinal purposes.

There appears to be some doubt as to whether this is really a separate species from that of B. reflexum. It is, however, sufficiently different to be considered quite a distinct variety, though perhaps not actually a different species.

Adansonia digitata. Monkey Bread, Baobab. Ose (Yoruba); Usi (Benin).

It is a moderately common tree in the Onitsha and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. Isolated specimens are also found elsewhere. The most typical feature of this tree is the huge thick trunk, tapering up into the branches, out of all proportion to the length of these and the twigs. These are much thicker than the branches and twigs of other trees. The green, elongated spherical-shaped fruits hang by a stalk, giving the tree the appearance of one decorated for a Christmas festival. The leaves are truly digitate and not unlike those of the cotton-tree, though they are thicker and darker in colour. The bark is very thick, spongy and fibrous, and of a light-grey colour. The bark, seeds and roots are used medicinally. The fruit is eaten in time of scarcity.

The fibre is used in England for paper-making.

=Sterculiaceæ.=

Sterculia Rhinopetala. False Chestnut. Ekko Okpon, Orodu or Orodo (Yoruba); Enwiwan (Benin); Otutu (Jebu); Awraw (Egbado).

It has a smooth, light-green bark, which remains soft, but is whitish with age. The wood is white and soft, and apparently there is no difference in the heartwood. It has a small seed with a wing on each side of it. For external work it is not durable, but when seasoned for internal fittings, such as doors or ceilings, it is more useful.

It is common in the Oyo, Benin, Calabar and Abeokuta provinces. It is found in the mixed deciduous forests, especially in the Mamu and Ilaro Forest Reserves. Also, wherever it is found there is a comparatively large number, though it is not gregarious in habit.

It was stated to be of no commercial value in the Liverpool market in 1906, but in a subsequent report it was said to be worth 1s. to 1s. 6d. a cubic foot, as walnut, though there must have been some mistake in the name.

Native Use.—The mushrooms which grow on its stem after it is cut down are used for soup. These are known as Epweperu.

Sterculia tomentosa. Okagbo (Yoruba); Ukpiwenwan (Benin).

This tree is found in the Abeokuta and Benin provinces. It reaches a height of from 40 to 50 feet. The fruit is ripe in December and January; it is kidney-shaped and covered with a dense collection of very fine reddish hairs. It grows in clusters.

Sterculia sp. Iwu (Yoruba).

It is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria and is a medium-sized tree which yields a white wood which is none too hard nor soft.

Sterculia tragacantha. African Tragacanth. Owun, Omunu, Omar, Ogidu (?) (Yoruba); Oporipor, Iporipor, Okoko (Benin).

Chief Characteristics.—It shows a brown slash when cut. The bark is very fibrous and the white sapwood is full of large open pits, which gives the wood the appearance of being entirely fibrous. It yields a pink-coloured gum, which hardens after a few days. It bears large oval-shaped leaves, which tend to be bunched at the end of the twigs. The pods are less than half the size of Sterculia cordifolia and are covered with light-brown velvety hairs on the outside. These pods open, making each appear coracle-shaped, with eight to ten small brown seeds attached to the bottom rib of the pod. The foliage looks almost grey-white from underneath. The bole of the younger trees is greyish- white and usually for 30 to 40 feet free of branches. It reaches a girth of about 8 feet. The wood is white and softish, planes easily and works up to a neat finish. Silviculturally, the tree stands between the light-lovers on one hand and the shade-bearers on the other, although it is usually seen growing comparatively free from other than natural shade. It does, in fact, stand a considerable amount of shade in the younger stages of growth as well as later, when it may be overgrown by larger growing trees. It is usually found in groups at the edge of the forest.

It sprouts again from the stump, but almost each year large crops of seeds are borne on the tree, and this would seem to be the chief method of reproduction.

The tree has not been cut for local use, nor has it been exported. The Yorubas and Benis use the smaller trees as poles for house-building, but it is not considered a good wood.

Sterculia cordifolia. Heart-shaped-leaved Sterculia. Okporoporo, (Akure); Ogugu, Ogungun or Ogrugru, Oburuburu (Yoruba); Idogoho, Okoko, Okokwo (Benin); Dikir (Efik); Ibitoto (Bembi).

Distribution.—It is found in the Jebu Ode, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Benin, Onitsha, Owerri, and Calabar provinces of Nigeria. It is one of the most common trees in the mixed deciduous forests.

Chief Characteristics.—The large heart-shaped leaves and the curious twist to the lower part of the stem, which makes the root protuberances quite angular. It is never quite straight and forms a heavy oval crown.

The very large, oval, soft, almost fleshy, dehiscent pod, with its large winged seeds, is most typical of this tree. The crown is supported by three or four large limbs with comparatively few side branches. The foliage is very dense, though even in a tall tree the individual heart-shaped leaves show up quite distinctly. It is almost gregarious in habit, usually groups of four or five being found in one place. It is nearly always found on the banks of small streams which may dry up in the dry season. It is a shade-bearer, though moderately quick in growth. The wood is cross-grained, and emits rather an unpleasant smell when cut. The sapwood and the heartwood are both white, with a reddish tinge through it. It is soft, but becomes much harder when dry. It sprouts from the stump when cut down. Reproduction by seed is moderate. It has not been used locally, nor has it been exported. The natives in the Benin and Yoruba countries use the butt of medium-sized trees, especially those with a fork, for house- building. It is not attacked by white ants.

Sterculia nr. oblonga. Opepe (?) (Yoruba); Orodo (Benin).

It is a common tree of the Benin province of Nigeria, found in the evergreen forest.

It is a question whether this species is the one with a very hard, leathery, half-dehiscent pod, showing about ten orange-coloured oblong seeds inside it. These seeds have sometimes been termed Okoko by the Benis, but they are, no doubt, not obtained from the fruit of Sterculia cordifolia. These seeds also are not winged, and are comparatively fleshy and soft compared to the dry, rather hard, large winged seeds of Sterculia cordifolia.

Sterculia cinerea. Tartar Tree. Lakole (Yoruba); Ururata (Benin).

It is rather an uncommon tree of the Benin province of Nigeria. It is found at the edge of the mixed deciduous forest with the dry-zone area of vegetation.

Firmania Barteri. Rope Tree. Eso or Esho (Yoruba); Akoko, Nihau (?) (Benin).

It is a large tree with duck-egg-green bark and an uneven buttressed base, with a bole length of 30 or 40 feet and a girth up to 12 feet.

Distribution.—It is one of the most prevalent trees in the Olokemeji Reserve in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria, and found all through the mixed forests of the Western Circle and also in the Obubra division of the Calabar province, but it has so far not been found in the Benin province.

Use.—A fibre, worth £14 to £20 a ton, is made from the bark of young trees attaining 3 inches in diameter.

A most conspicuous tree in October and November, as it is covered with small red flowers and is leafless at the time. It has a papery fruit with a small round seed attached to the base. These fruits are also most conspicuous in February and March, making the tree look as it were covered with red flowers for a second time. The large, poplar- shaped leaves with comparatively long stalks often tremble in the slightest breeze in a similar way to the aspen. The wood is soft, white and fibrous, with no distinguishing colour between sapwood and heartwood. It splits comparatively easily, though, once it is dry, with difficulty. It is easy to plane, though difficult to obtain a smooth surface owing to the grain often being twisted. The light seeds almost float in the air, the result being that they are spread everywhere, and thus come up chiefly in the open spaces and at the edges of rides and roads, almost to the detriment of any other species. It is one of the fastest growing of all the African trees, and being a light-lover as well, rapidly covers all the available ground. In fact, in the mixed deciduous forests it tends to gain in its area of distribution year by year. In an enumeration in the Olokemeji Reserve, instead of finding a few thousand trees, as in the case of most species, hundreds of thousands of this one were found.

The branches of the young tree grow more or less in whorls at right angles to the trunk, and, combined with the comparatively large leaves, thoroughly cover the ground near by. Stump sprouts grow after a tree has been felled, though natural reproduction by seed is by far the most prevalent method. It has not been felled for local use nor has it been exported. The Hausas living in Nigeria cut down the small trees (saplings 1 to 2 inches in diameter), peel off the bark, dry it, and spin it into rope, which is used for tying loads of Cola or other produce. When freshly made it is soft and pliable, but when it is dry the fibre becomes very harsh and rather difficult to tie.

The wood is used for floats for fishing on the Niger.

Heritiera sp?. Oviegikwe (Benin).

It is found in the Benin and Ondo (?) provinces of Nigeria.

The tree is large, reaching a girth of about 12 feet. The seed is papery and full of air, so that when trodden upon it collapses. The leaf is of medium size, more or less pinnate. The timber is white and soft; termites attack it. It has not been exported or used for local buildings.

Native Use.—The leaf is used medicinally, and the timber is used for making drums (the frame) by hollowing out the trunk of a tree. It is also used as walls for a temporary house (when dried or not); for this purpose it is split in pieces.

Heritiera sp.?. Igoso (Benin).

It is an uncommon tree of the Benin province of Nigeria. It is found in the evergreen and mixed deciduous forests. The fruit is considerably smaller than Oviegikwe.

The natives apparently have no use for this tree. However, timber obtained from trees of this genus has proved so useful and durable that a trial of the wood of this species seems advisable.

Triplochiton Johnsonii (Ch. Wright). African Maple, Bush Maple. Arere (Yoruba); Obechi (Benin).

This is one of the common trees of the Abeokuta, Ondo and Benin provinces of Nigeria; it is found in the mixed deciduous forest zone, more especially in the moister regions of these forests. Like T. Nigericum, it is one of the largest of all the forest trees, reaching a height of over 120 feet and a girth of 25 feet. The leaf has five lobes, and is thus distinguishable from T. Nigericum, which has seven. The bole is long and clean and most cylindrical in shape; the buttresses, as a rule, do not reach such a great height as in the case of T. Nigericum. On the whole the bark is smoother and, especially in the younger specimens, almost shiny. The flowers and fruit are very similar to T. Nigericum.

The timber is white, both heartwood and sapwood, and shows a considerable amount of elasticity; rather liable to warp when seasoned. It works up well and takes a satiny sheen. The grain is comparatively fine—in fact, a little finer than that of T. Nigericum; the pores are long and very narrow; it works up well with a plane, takes nails easily, does not split well; it saws with great ease; it is not termite-proof. If freshly cut and placed under cover, it suffers most severely from the attacks of a very small weevil which reduces the wood to a fine powder; it is noticeable that when the timber is entirely dry the surface hardens very considerably and it is less liable and almost immune from attack. When thoroughly dry the wood weighs 35 pounds per cubic foot.

It is a very rapid-growing, at first slightly shade-bearing and of recent years an eminently light-loving tree. It has soil-protecting and soil-improving qualities. Natural regeneration appears to be very good. Self-sown seedlings show a height-growth of over 6 feet per year. It likes a moist soil, which need not be very rich, but it must have considerable depth. It is rather liable to be blown by the wind or sometimes broken, if in an exposed locality.

Locally it has been used for boxes and other articles, which have proved quite durable; it has been used as inside planking and other interior work, and so long as it is carefully seasoned it does not warp very badly; it is probable that it is one of those timbers that would yield better results by kiln drying. In the Central Circle it has been sawn up as planks for a considerable time, but they have been attacked to a great extent by a small weevil. The local people use the bark for making roofs and the wood for doors for their houses.

In 1906 sample logs of this timber were sold in the Liverpool market as Satinwood, but were not considered equal to Anyeran (Afrormosia elata). Since that date no more trial shipments have been made, so it remains to be seen whether under the altered conditions and the pressing demands for timber in Europe a market cannot now be found for the vast quantities of this timber from Nigeria and other West African countries.

Triplochiton Nigericum. Soft Satinwood. Arere (Yoruba); Kpa (Efik).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ondo, Owerri and Calabar provinces of Nigeria; it is a common tree of the mixed deciduous forests. One of the distinguishing features of this tree are the maple-like leaves. This species has seven lobes to the leaf; the leaf itself is softer and almost velvety compared to the true maple leaf. The lobes themselves are not quite so sharply pointed and the leaf stalk is considerably thicker. The fruit also is very much like that of the maple, but is a quadruple samara instead of being only a double one. The tree is one of the largest of the whole forest, reaching a height under favourable conditions of nearly 150 feet; the bole alone may reach a height of 90 feet with a girth of over 20 feet. The trunk is very cylindrical in shape, showing a well formed figure, but not so good as either that of Agba or Gum Copal. It is only broken up by the root buttresses, which often reach 10 to 12 feet from the ground before they merge into the stem; the bark is grey, sometimes almost white and almost smooth; in old age, shallow fissures sometimes form. The slash is greenish-white, and a little watery sap moistens the cut after a short interval. The crown is ovally spherical and occupies over one-third of the height of the tree. The flowers are mottled pink and white.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood is the same colour, with no great distinction between them except the greater dryness of the heartwood. The timber is soft and not durable, and is not termite- proof; it does not split very well, saws easily, and planes fairly well and takes nails comparatively well; does not plane up to a very smooth surface.

It is a very rapid-growing, at first shade-bearing, and during the last few years a light-loving tree; it has soil-protecting and soil- improving qualities. It is deciduous for a short time each year; flowers in February or March, and the seeds are borne towards the end of the rainy season. Natural regeneration is very good; it sprouts very strongly from the stump. It is really somewhat exacting as to soil, liking a moist soil of good depth and with plenty of drainage; it will not stand in waterlogged ground, though an occasional flood does not hurt it. Plantations have been made with this tree, and the growth thus far has been very rapid; self-sown seedlings, however, show greater development in the same period of time.

Locally, the root flanges are used for making doors and occasionally the tree has been cut for planks; it is said that the timber is not supposed to be quite so durable as that of T. Johnsonii, but in reality there is very little difference between them.

Triplochiton n. sp. Bush Maple. Obechi (Benin).

This tree was found in 1906 in the forest near the Anwai, not far from Onitsha Olona, in the Asaba district of the Benin province, and is very similar in habit and growth to the other two species.

Buettneria. Obechi (Benin).

Benin.

Pterygota. Poroporo (Yoruba).

It is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. It is not very prevalent in the mixed forests of the Olokemeji Reserve, and is a large tree, 8 to 10 feet in girth. The wood is said by the natives to be durable.

Cola cauliflora (F.). Cola Mahogany. Isienwe (Benin).

It is common in the Benin province of Nigeria, in the mixed deciduous forest zone, where it is not very prevalent. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a girth of 6 feet.

The seed is a small nut. The leaves are very dark and are comparatively large. The bole reaches a length of about 20 feet.

The sapwood is whitish and the heartwood of a red-brown, similar to mahogany. The texture is, however, not quite so fine and a little more fibrous. It planes fairly well and takes nails fairly easily, but it does not split well. It is durable and is said to be termite-proof. It is a somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil- improving tree. Natural regeneration is only moderate, and it sprouts slightly from the stump. It is somewhat exacting as to soil, and is usually found in a loamy sand, with plenty of moisture and depth.

It was valued at 2d. to 2½d. a superficial foot as mahogany of fair character in the Liverpool market in 1906. But since then no more has been felled or exported.

The natives use it as firewood in the Benin country. It has not been felled for local use.

Cola laurifolia. Laurel-leaved Cola. Foma (Yoruba).

It is an uncommon tree, found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. A small tree with small flowers.

Cola acuminata (Beauv.). Common Cola. Obi Abata (Yoruba); Eve (Benin).

It is a common tree of the Calabar, Ogoge, Owerri, Warri, Benin, Ondo, Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is the ordinary Cola of the Benin villages, but it is also found in the forest. In other parts of the country it has been planted along the sides of the roads leading into Egbado, Jebu, Ode, Ondo, Ikale and Ilesha villages.

Always standing in the shade and with a heavy evergreen foliage, the cream-coloured flowers with a pink streak on each petal show up very clearly when the tree comes into bloom in February or March. According to the native ideas, the tree must never be pruned, nor, in fact, should it be cut either partially or wholly under any circumstances. However, in passing to and from their farms, boys and young men often chip the trunk of the tree with a matchet. This, they say, has the effect of making it produce more fruit; otherwise the tree always looks very dirty, and often the trunk and the branches are covered with epiphytic ferns or orchids. Occasionally, once a year or once in two or three years, the branches of the trees standing nearest to a Cola are cut away and the ground immediately surrounding a Cola tree is cleared of undergrowth. The crop of fruit borne varies very much from year to year. One year a native may make a pound or so from his Cola tree, whereas in another he perhaps makes very little.

To face p. 354.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood a dull whitish-yellow. It is moderately hard, very close grained and of fine texture, with a dull lustre; is moderately durable, but is liable to be attacked by a very small furniture borer. It is termite-proof. It planes well, does not split easily, takes nails and saws well. It is apparently an excellent wood for carving. It does not shrink nor warp very much. It is more durable for interior work than for outside, where it is liable to get soft and to crumble away. It is sometimes brittle; it does not burn well.

Native Use.—The fruit is eaten and is used as an article of export both to the Northern Provinces and also to the Continent. The wood is used for making “Ju-jus” (Esu—the Devil) (Images of the King); otherwise it is not cut in the Benin country.

Cola Afzelii. Monkey Cola Tree. Obidu, Obiedun, Ebidun (Yoruba); Awohebitan (Benin).

The brilliant red fruits, about twelve joined together in a spherical bunch, are usually quite a feature of the small tree. The leaves are digitate, but joined at the base, so in reality only a single leaf. It is a much-branched tree with yellowish-grey bark. The crown is much divided, and sometimes the branches almost appear as if in large whorls.

It is found in the Oyo, Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Owerri, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria.

The wood is white and softish and not durable. It is most common at the edge of the evergreen forest. It attains a girth of about 6 feet and a bole length of about 15 feet. It is a light-lover, though it stands a considerable amount of shade in its youth.

Native Use.—The wood is used for the stock of a cross-bow in the Benin country, and the seeds are eaten at any time.

Cola sp. Obiedum (Yoruba); Ewoha (Benin).

This is a comparatively common tree of the Benin, Abeokuta and Ondo provinces of Nigeria. It is the original Cola of the forest; a medium- sized tree with the typical Cola foliage, found growing singly. It does not appear to bear very heavily, and apparently in some places the local people utilize the fruit, while in others they say it is of no value. It appears to be a whiter and softer Cola than that of the other species, and it does not seem to have such a strong flavour.

The timber is hard and white; it is a shade-bearing and soil- protecting tree. Natural regeneration appears to be poor.

The wood is occasionally used by the local fetish-maker for certain types of fetish in the Benin country. It is considered the most suitable and, in fact, the only wood for this purpose. Although the ordinary Cola which is planted may not be cut, this species is not immune, but it is certainly considered most proper if only the image- maker cuts it.

Dombeya Buettneri. Ewe ofo (Yoruba).

It is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria, especially in the Olokemeji Forest Reserve. It is a small, shrub-like tree, varying from 7 to 15 feet in height. The bark is fibrous. In 1908 samples of the fibre were submitted to the Imperial Institute for valuation. Owing to its being rather harsh, woody and weak, it was stated to be worth from £7 to £8 a ton.

=Ochnaceæ.=

Ochna multiflora. Canoe Tree. Uruk (Efik); Tei tei (Ijor); Tei tei (Brass); Elili (Ibo Owerri).

It is found in the Owerri, Warri and Ondo (?) provinces of Nigeria. It is one of the prevalent trees in the evergreen and brackish swamp forest zone. The tree reaches a girth of 15 feet and a bole length of about 60 feet. It has a large digitate leaf, making the foliage of the tree very heavy and dense. The bark is thick and fissured longitudinally. The crown is long and egg-shaped. The fruit is large, roughly spherical in shape, but ribbed in five places on the surface. It is a shade-bearer, and reproduction is chiefly by seed. The wood is reddish-brown and moderately hard. This is one of the most favourite trees for canoe-making amongst the Brass people. Having a straight grain, the log opens out well into a canoe once it has been hollowed out in the centre.

Ochna sp. Sama (?), Duma name.

It is found near Obudu, in the Ogoja province of Nigeria. It is a small tree of the open deciduous forest, growing at an altitude of about 1,500 feet. The flowers are umbellate and of a pretty red colour. It is a light-lover and grows at the edge of the forest.

The natives apparently have no use for either the wood or other parts of the tree.

Lophira procera. Red Ironwood, African Oak, Red Oak. Ela, Ekki (Yoruba); Eba, Ebba (Benin); Eleba (Jekri); Kuru (Brass); Okikopom (Ibibio); Enwan, Umpenek (Efik); Okut Okot (Oban, Ekoi); Kuru (Ibo Owerri); Okut (Kwa).

Chief Characteristics.—It is a very large tree, up to 6 feet in diameter, with orange-coloured bark, when in the shade of the evergreen forest where it is found, but this soon becomes quite grey when exposed to the sun. The flowers are white, with five petals, and are very fragrant, smelling like musk, covering the ground and scenting the forest in November and December. In October and November the tree is very conspicuous with its brilliant new red foliage, which almost appears like flowers in the distance. On the banks of the Calabar River, above the town of the same name, this is seen to advantage. The fruit is winged, but with one wing twice as long as the other and also broader; the seed is sharply pointed and almost conical in section, and not so meaty as that of L. alata. The crown is spherical, but open; the branches are very twisted and reminiscent of oak. The trunk reaches a length of 90 feet and is almost perfectly cylindrical in shape, with only the slightest indication of spurns at the base.

Distribution.—It is found in the Abeokuta, Jebu, Ode, Benin, Owerri, Ogoja (?) and Calabar provinces of Nigeria. It is one of the commonest trees in the very moist parts of the evergreen forest zone.

Timber.—The sapwood is whitish red, but the heartwood is of a dull red colour with large, long, open pores, partially filled with siliceous salts. This often gives the wood an almost speckled appearance. In a tree of 12 feet girth, the sapwood is usually only 3 or 4 inches thick, making it a very full-wooded tree and thus reducing the amount of wood wasted in squaring the logs. It planes well, with a smooth, shiny surface. Strong shoots often come up from the stump, though owing to the natural seed distribution being good, this latter is the chief means of reproduction. It is a light-lover, with a natural tendency to grow straight up. It is a slow-growing tree, and the leaves, nearly a foot long and almost tongue-shaped, are very large for such a hard-wooded tree. Even when planted 16 feet apart it grows up straight, with only three or four perpendicular branches or even only a fork in the stem. It resists white ants, and the teredo worm does not bore into logs when lying in the water. It is almost gregarious in habit, usually groups being found in one locality, or, as in the moister regions, it is next to mahogany the commonest tree found in the forest. It will withstand floods—in fact, there is an island several square miles in extent in the Oshun River covered with only this species of tree. It is also found again on the upper edge of the mangrove forest where the first solid land begins.

The seeds have not been tested as to the proportion of oil contained in them, but no doubt they contain a similar quantity, in proportion to the size, as those of L. alata.

In 1906 samples of this timber in the round were sent to the Liverpool market, where it was valued as red oak at 2s. to 3s. per cubic foot. It was also stated to be worth shipping in good lengths. Owing to its weight and the hardness of the wood, and thus the extra cost of squaring logs, little or none has been shipped to Liverpool since this report was made. Locally it has been used for piles for wharves and bridges, decking for bridges, wall-plates for bungalows, and occasionally as verandah-posts. It can be floated with Musanga logs or those of Hannoa undulata. Canoes made of this wood are of the most durable kind, so that perhaps it might be tried for boat-building.

The people of Benin use the wood for making pestles for their Fufu mortars, and occasionally it is used as wall-plates. Amongst the Brass people it is sometimes used for making canoes, and amongst many tribes for making food-mortars. Near Lagos it is used for house-building.

Lophira alata. Niam Fat, Small Red Ironwood, Meni Oil, African Oak. Ipawhaw, Ponhon, Ipahan (Yoruba); Awigbi, Ugbeberi, Ishan (Benin).

Small or dry-zone Red Ironwood.

It is found in the Ogoja, Owerri, Onitsha, Benin, Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a very common tree in the open deciduous forest of the dry-zone form of vegetation. Often found in groups, but it anyhow is the most prevalent tree wherever found. It does not usually grow straight, but the stem is gnarled and crooked, reaching a girth of about 5 feet. The tree itself only grows to a height of about 30 feet. In appearance it looks like a small oak, but the Shea Butter Tree, Butyrospermum Parkii, is still more like it. However, with its reddish-green tongue-like leaves with wavy edges, it is in reality quite different. The branches spring out of the stem in a more upward direction than B. Parkii, and are more irregular in growth. The bark is orange- coloured and almost scaly on the younger trees, though it goes a grey or black colour when exposed to the light or the annual grass-fires. The flowers are white, sweet-smelling and much more conspicuous than on L. procera. The seed is placed between two wings, one nearly three times the width of the other. The smaller wing is more pointed than the larger; the seed, while being pointed, is stoutly cone-shaped and rather more than a quarter of an inch in diameter at the base, and of a light brown colour.

Timber.—The sapwood is narrow and white in colour and the heartwood is a dull red. It is very hard and tough, but not so heavy as L. procera. It planes only with a rough surface.

Silvicultural Characteristics.—This is one of the few trees which successfully resist the annual grass-fires. Its otherwise prolific seed-bearing capacity is, however, often very much diminished, if not completely spoilt, by the flowers being burnt in January and February, the usual time of the grass-fires. It is a light-lover, but for the reasons already given is a very slow-growing tree. On the whole, although the seeds germinate well, stool and root shoots are probably the chief means of reproduction. The soil under these trees is only partially protected during the growing, and quite exposed to sun and wind during the dry season.

Commercial Value.—Samples of these seeds were sent in 1909 to the Imperial Institute for valuation, when they were found to be worth about £10 a ton; 43 per cent. of oil can be obtained from the kernels, and this is said to be suitable for soap-making and to be worth £25 per ton. Commercial quantities, however, have not yet been exported.

Meni oil was formerly obtained from the seed.

Native Use.—Amongst the Yorubas the tree is used for house-posts, especially when the stem is forked about 10 feet above the ground. The leaves, bark and roots are all sold in the native markets for medicinal purposes. An infusion of the bark of the roots is supposed to be a cure for jaundice (yellow fever, according to the natives). Strangely enough, the seeds are not used as a source of oil.

Gomphia insculpta.

Found at Olokemeji.

Gomphia glaberrima.

It is a shrub found at Olokemeji.

Gomphia nr. affinis.

Found at Ilugbro.

=Guttiferæ.=

Garcinia conrauana. False Cola, Bitter Cola. Orugbo (Yoruba); Edun (Benin); Odji (?) (Brass); Efiori Efrie (Efik); Efrie (Kwa).

It is found in the Calabar, Benin, Ogoja and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a medium-sized tree with close, spherical-shaped crown. The branches and leaves are comparatively small. The bole is short and the branches very persistent. The most typical feature of the tree is the large apricot-like fruit, of an orange-yellow colour. The bark is smooth and brown in colour. It is found in the evergreen forest. The nut is oblong, of a very dark brown colour with small white streaks all over it. It grows in moist soil.

The timber is very hard and close-grained, with yellow-sapwood and light-brown heartwood. It is said to be durable and planes with a smooth surface. It is often found at a considerable elevation—up to 3,000 feet towards the northern part of Calabar province.

It is a shade-bearer, though it is often found growing alone, having been left isolated when the original forest was cleared to make a farm. The tree grows very slowly but bears comparatively early, and trees are often seen quite laden with the yellow fruit.

The timber has not been exported, but has been cut for local use. It was used by the Public Works Department, Calabar, and proved useful for wall-plates. The nuts have occasionally been exported, but they are comparatively valueless compared to the real Cola.

Native Use.—The nuts are sold in the Yoruba and Calabar markets and 100 to 200 for 3d. in the Benin market. The fruit is also eaten. The roots are used for chewing-sticks (the best in Benin), and taste like quinine. The nuts are ground and used medicinally for headache.

Garcinia Kola.

A little known species, found in the Eastern Provinces, Uwet. It was subsequently determined as Garcinia conrauana.

Garcinia Mannii.

This tree is found in the Western Provinces.

Uses.—Chew-stick is made from the root.

Garcinia, var. nov. brevipedicellata.

This tree grows in the Eastern Circle.

Pentadesma sp.?. Hardwood, Duika’s Chop Fruit. Ogbia (Yoruba); Ekuso or Ikujo, Efiari (Benin).

This tree is found in the mixed forests of the Benin province of Nigeria. One of its chief characteristics is that it has little or no bark, but the cortex is comparatively thin, and remains of a duck-egg- green colour even in trees of comparatively large size. It reaches a girth of about 6 feet and a bole length of about 20 feet. However, it is usually very much forked comparatively low down, and often the stem is by no means straight. The root spurns are not very large, but spoil the shape of the bole at the base.

It is a slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil- improving tree. Natural regeneration is poor, chiefly perhaps because the Duika eat the fruit; in fact, the Benin name means the chop or food of Uso or Duika.

In 1906 samples of this timber were sold in the Liverpool market as a hardwood, which was considered hard and heavy. Since then none has been shipped, nor has it been felled for local use. Perhaps with the changed conditions in the demand for timber, both hard and soft, a further trial would now show whether it was of any value as an export timber.

Pentadesma grandifolia.

Distribution.—It is found in the Oban Reserve of the Calabar province of Nigeria.

Characteristics.—It is a medium-sized tree, with large oblong leaves having numerous glands and lateral nerves which are about a tenth of an inch apart. The leaves are larger and the exterior sepal shorter than in P. butyraceæ.

Silvicultural Qualities.—It grows in the evergreen forest, is a shade-bearer, and comparatively slow-growing tree.

Utility.—Although the fruit has not yet been collected, it is probable that the nuts would contain a similar oil to those of P. butyraceæ.

Pentadesma butyraceæ. Butter or Tallow Tree. Okarora, Ossa (Ondo); Ekuso (Yoruba) (Ikale); Ijeni Udegbu, Agba (west side), Udegbi (Benin); Orugbo erin (Ondo); Amu Ne (New Calabar); Ikakama Udia Ebian (Efik); Ikakama Udia Ebian, Igbofia (Ibibio); Ntini Nyok (Kwa).

Distribution.—It is found in the evergreen forests of the Jebu, Ode, Benin, Warri, Owerri and Calabar provinces of Nigeria. It is quite prevalent in its typical locality and very damp, almost swampy, regions of the forest near small waterways, even comparatively near the sea.

Chief Characteristics.—It is a thin, tall tree, with dark bark and flatly compressed crown consisting of four or five tiers of branches, very close together in almost true whorls. The foliage is very thick and the leaves thick and leathery. It exudes a mass of gamboge-like latex as soon as slashed, and the slash is orange-red. The latex solidifies on exposure to the air. The large pear-shaped fruit has a soft rind, which usually is pierced by the fall to the ground, and the Cola-shaped seeds are embedded in a soft, yellowish-white pulp. The large sepals at the base of the flower are quite typical, in their persistency often being found at the base of unripe fruit.

Timber.—It has yellowish-white sapwood and light-red heartwood of firm texture, with a certain amount of waviness in it, especially if the tree has been barked in its earlier years. It is not hard, and is easy to work; it does not appear to warp or shrink.

Silvicultural Qualities.—It is a shade-bearer with very persistent evergreen leaves. It will stand in waterlogged land and grow almost to perfection. The branches are also very persistent, and it is only when growing in close proximity to other heavy foliaged trees that the bole clears itself of branches for two-thirds of its length. The stump shoots sprout up when the tree is cut down. The more prevalent form of reproduction is by seed. The mature tree bears quite prolifically almost every year. The timber has not been felled for export, but the seeds are worth £8 a ton on account of the oil that they contain, which is considered suitable for soap-making.

Pentadesma Nigritana. Odgebu (west side) (Benin).

Distribution.—It is found in the Oban Reserve of the Calabar province of Nigeria.

Characteristics.—It is a medium-sized tree with black bark on the branches. The leaves are glabrous coriaceous, 3½ to 4½ inches long and 1 to 1½ inches broad.

Silvicultural Qualities.—It grows in the evergreen forests, is a shade-bearer and comparatively slow-growing tree.

Utility.—The fruit has not yet been collected, but, judging by the locality in which this tree is found, the seeds would contain similar quantities of oil to those of P. butyraceæ.

Haronga Madagascariensis (Kew). Benin Roof-pole. Itue (Benin).

It is a non-indigenous tree (exotic) which is now found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ondo, Benin, Warri, Owerri, Ogoja and Calabar provinces of Nigeria.

It is commonly seen growing up in old farms in the heavier soils of the evergreen and mixed deciduous forest zones. The slash, which is brick-red and exudes a yellowish-red latex, is most typical of this tree. The tree is almost gregarious, forming groups nearly half an acre in extent; the bark peels very easily, leaving a clean white stem which hardens very much on exposure to the air. It is a small tree, attaining a girth of about 2 feet and a height of about 40 feet. The wood is quite white, with a small pink pith about a quarter of an inch in diameter; it is a very light wood and most durable when under cover.

The leaves are of a medium size and rough to the touch. When 2 to 4 inches in diameter the natives cut the trees, clean and strip off the bark, and use them for rafters in house-building, especially in the Benin and Yoruba countries.

Symphonia globulifera (Kew). Hog Gum.

It was reported from the Calabar province.

Allanblackia floribunda. Orogbo erin (Yoruba); Izeni or Iyockan (Benin); Atta (Efik); Egba (Ibo, Owerri).

Distribution.—It is found in the evergreen forests of the Jebu Ode, Benin, Owerri (?) and Calabar (?) provinces of Nigeria. This tree usually grows on less moist soil and further away from water than P. butyraceæ, though it likes a moist and deep soil.

Chief Characteristics.—The long, hard, brown, enlarged sausage- shaped fruit hanging on a stalk shows, when cut, large seeds scattered in white pulp, and is thus different in this respect to Pentadesma, which has dark-brown seeds embedded in a soft, yellowish pulp. The slash is yellow, but only exudes a little yellow latex at first. The branches are not so verticillate in form as Pentadesma, but are more pendulous, especially when the tree is in fruit. They also are further apart and give the crown a more open appearance. The fruit is three times the length and the diameter rather more than that of P. butyraceæ.

Timber.—The sapwood is whitish-yellow and the heartwood yellowish- red and moderately hard. It is not attacked by white ants; it does not split easily, but planes with a smooth surface. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a height of about 80 feet, with a bole length of 20 feet and a girth of 8 feet.

Silvicultural Qualities.—It is a shade-bearer and grows comparatively slowly. Natural reproduction is chiefly by seed, though fine and succulent stump shoots appear when a tree is cut down.

The timber has not been exported nor has it been used locally; the natives occasionally cut the bark for medicinal purposes, but otherwise apparently have no use for the tree.

Ochrocarpus Africanus? sp. of Allanblackia. African Mammee Apple, Mahogany (Calabar). Igoda (Benin); Ereruku, Edeng Edem (Calabar); Baulan Bolo (Degema, New Calabar); Okut and Otun (Oban, Ekoi).

Distribution.—It is found in the Calabar, Owerri and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, occurring sparsely in the evergreen forests in several localities, where it takes the place of Khaya, which is not prevalent in such places.

Chief Characteristics.—It is a large tree, with orange-coloured bark, especially in young specimens, and a little scaly. In habit otherwise rather like Mahogany, after which the timber has been named. It is much harder and has little resin canals typical of the order. It is not attacked by white ants. It reaches a height of 100 feet, with a bole length of about 40 feet and a girth of 12 feet. The root spurns are only slight. The large, elongated, spherical-shaped fruit, with rough, pale orange-coloured rind, speckled brown in several places, is most typical of this tree. Generally speaking, it could easily be mistaken for Mahogany Entandrophragma by anyone not very familiar with both species.

Timber.—The sapwood is white, with a pinkish tint, and the heartwood a dark red, with small medullary rays as well as very prominent resin- like canals which, when dry, are filled with a yellow substance.

Silvicultural Qualities.—It is a shade-bearer, but likes a certain amount of overhead light in middle age. On the whole it is slow- growing, except for a short period when the chief height-growth is put on. A few stump shoots sprout when the tree is cut down, but the more common form of reproduction is by seed.

Utility.—It has not been felled for export, but the Public Works Department felled and converted a good deal at the Etehetem sawmill, and it was favourably reported on as a hard mahogany. It has occasionally been used by the natives for making canoes.

No botanical name. Oshusi (Ibo, Owerri).

Distribution.—It is found in the Owerri province of Nigeria. It is a comparatively common tree in the evergreen swamp forest.

Characteristics.—The timber is not over hard, but it reaches a height of 100 feet and a girth of 8 feet. The bark is smooth.

Silvicultural Qualities.—It is a shade-bearer and a comparatively slow-growing tree. The most prevalent form of reproduction is by seed.

Utility.—It has not been felled for export, but was used in the construction of the Imo railway bridge as piles.

Buronona (New Calabar).

This is a medium-sized tree of the Owerri province, and is found near the Imo, not far from the railway bridge. Several piles of the temporary bridge were made from the timber of this tree.

Ochrocarpus sp.?. Ebattan, Ehranezi (Benin); Buronona (New Calabar).

Distribution.—It is found in the Owerri, Benin (?) and Ondo (?) provinces of Nigeria.

Chief Characteristics.—It is a very straight, thin-stemmed tree, with several whorls of branches near the top of the tree, very much compressed together. The flowers are red sprays, which look very pretty at the beginning of the dry season. It occurs near the freshwater swamps, comparatively close to the sea. In many places it is almost gregarious in habit, more especially near Degema. It reaches a height of 100 feet, and a girth of 6 feet, often with a bole length of 50 feet.

Timber.—The sapwood is white and the heartwood is light brown; both appear to be equally durable. It is termite-resisting. It planes with a smooth surface; the grain is very fine. A red latex exudes when it is cut.

Utility.—It is chiefly used for door and window frames, and does not warp nor crack, even when put in green. It attains a large enough size to be used as piles, some of which were used in the construction of the temporary railway bridge at Imo. The natives do not use the wood, and it has not been felled for export.

Silvicultural Qualities.—It is a shade-bearer and a comparatively slow-growing tree, though on less wet soils it seems to grow faster. The more prevalent form of reproduction is by seed. Weak stool shoots also come up after the tree is cut down. The foliage is dense and persists for several years.

To face p. 364.

=Bixaceæ.=

Bixa orellana.

This tree grows well in the Olokemeji Arboretum. It is found up to a height of 10 feet, and is cultivated for the sake of its seeds, which yield the orange dye called “annatto.” The tree bears pods very freely. Samples were sent to the Imperial Institute in 1906 and were valued at about 5d. a pound.

=Flacourtiaceæ.=

Smeathmannia pubescens. Moyida (Yoruba).

It is a medium-sized shrub found in the Western Provinces.

Soyauxia sp. Ogohomeh, Oyohomeh (Benin).

This tree was found on the mountain slope above Ogabi in the Obudu district. The fruit is edible.

Soyauxia sp. Aye (Yoruba); Owowe, Owawe (Benin).

It is found in the Ondo, Benin and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, growing at the edge of the evergreen forest. It is a medium-sized tree, with a bole length of about 30 feet and a girth of 6 feet; on the whole, it is of more slender build and habit than the Terminalia, to which it is apparently closely allied. The flower is very small, white and spherical, being only a quarter of an inch in size; it is most frequently seen lying scattered about in patches on the path or roadway, giving out a very sweet scent. The seeds are double winged, like Bougainvillea. The leaf is smaller than that of the Terminalia and the foliage generally less dense; the sapwood is white and somewhat wide, the heartwood of a light-brown colour, and on the border-line of being a hardwood. The wood is not very durable unless under cover; it is not very common, though where it is found there are a fair number of trees which would form a good supply of timber for local purposes. The natives do not use this wood, as they say it is liable to attacks by white ants.

Oncoba dentata (Oliv.). Parisha (Yoruba).

It is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. It is a small, shrub- like tree, armed with moderately long thorns. It belongs to the evergreen forest zone. The flowers are large, white and conspicuous.

Oncoba glauca (Foster). Kakandika (Yoruba).

Found in the Olokemeji and Abeokuta provinces.

Oncoba spinosa (Rich). Kakandika (Yoruba).

This is a small, shrub-like tree found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. It is moderately common, and several hedges have been made with it in the Olokemeji Arboretum. The most distinguishing feature of this plant is the large, spherical-shaped white flowers. The petals are large and conspicuous, with a mass of yellow stamens in the centre. In habit it is not unlike the thorn; the ends of the twigs are armed with a short spike.

It stands trimming pretty well. Each year it flowers fairly regularly, so that it makes quite an ornamental plant. It bears green fruits with a conspicuous bunch of the old sepals at the top. This fruit is rather smaller than a tangerine orange, but quite spherical in shape, with a hard, woody rind.

Flacourtia Ramontchii. Abeokuta Plum. Oshere (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

Flacourtia flavescens (Kew). Niger Plum.

Found in the Western Provinces.

Uses.—Edible plums, medicine and hedge plants.

Homalium, cf. H. Africanum (Benth.). Atu or Abo Ako (Yoruba).

This is a hard-wooded tree of the Yoruba country, which is used to some extent locally. It is also found in Benin.

Being a shade-bearing and soil-protecting tree, it is of value in the forest, apart from the production of timber. It is a slow-growing tree apparently.

=Lecythidaceæ.=

Napoleona Whitfieldii. Ito (? Yoruba); Uruhe (Benin).

It is doubtful if these are the correct native names for this species.

Napoleona imperialis. Speckle-fruited Napoleona. Boi Boi (Yoruba).

It is found near Ode district, Oban and Igbeshe, in the Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a deciduous shrub with pretty white flowers, very shiny leaves, which are alternate, and bears a spherical, orange-coloured fruit (with a russet-like surface having white lenticels scattered nearly all over it), which ripens in March at the Olokemeji Reserve.

This shrub protects and enriches the soil with its fall of leaves. Considering the attractiveness of the flower and the fruit, it is surprising that it has not more frequently been planted in gardens, where it should be placed in a shady corner. It is slow-growing, and does not need much light. It likes a moist, fairly deep good soil, especially near a river bank.

Native Use.—The stem is occasionally used for making hoe or axe handles, for which it is suitable, as the wood is comparatively tough, close-grained and hard. The knottiness of it is an advantage either for the handle or for fixing the hoe or axe head.

Napoleona Vogelii (Hook). Orokwa, Ogemme (Benin).

It is a common tree in the Calabar, Benin, Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

Chief Characteristics.—It is a medium-sized shrub-like tree, with orange-shaped fruit, though not quite spherical, having small white lenticels on the surface and roughness like a russet apple. It does not attain a girth of more than 3 or 4 feet. It is usually found in the mixed deciduous forests, though more often in clearings in the forests; however, it stands a good deal of shade. The wood is comparatively hard, but it does not reach much size. The tree protects and enriches the soil with its fall of leaves, and serves a very useful purpose as a shrub amongst the undergrowth of the forest. It might be planted in gardens, where both the flower, which is large and white, and the fruit would be admired. It usually bears a large number of both. It is rather a slow-growing tree. The natives use the wood for making matchet handles.

Napoleona Owariensis. Adere, Isiurem (Lagos).

Found in the Olokemeji Reserve.

=Rhizophoraceæ.=

Weihea sp. (Spreng). Odu (Yoruba).

This tree is found in tropical West Africa.

The flowers have an involucre of two bracteoles. The fruit is fleshy; seeds with an aril.

Weihea sp., cf. Africana. Odu (Yoruba); Itobo (Ibibio); Munon (Efik).

This tree grows near Lagos.

Rhizophora racemosa. Red Mangrove or Salt Mangrove. Egba Ibadudu (Jeb. Yoruba); Ehrodo, Ibadudu (Benin); Odo (Jekri).

Poga oleosa. Inoi Nut, African Brazil Nut. Iku (Yoruba); Inoi (Benin); Inoye (Efik); Ikoi (Oban); Inoi (Ekoi); Ekom (Ibo Owerri); Imonon (New Calabar).

It is found in the Benin (?), Owerri, Calabar and Ogoja (?) provinces of Nigeria, in the evergreen zone, both of the level and hill country. On the whole, it is more prevalent as the eastward side of the country is approached. In the forest its presence is usually indicated by the heaps of broken shells left lying near the roots of neighbouring trees, on the path or roadside. The reddish-brown interior and cross- section of the inner covering of the shell is a most typical feature. The nut itself is roughly spherical in shape, with a surface almost evenly covered with little nodules, giving the nut very considerable resiliency against cracking. It is nearly half an inch thick, and inside there are two or three kernels. Each of these is a chocolate- brown colour with thick (almost three thirty-seconds to one-eighth of an inch) red-brown shell. Each is about ½ inch long and rather more than ¼ inch thick. This thick shell quite spoils the flavour of the nut, which is sweeter and contains more oil than the Brazil nut. It can, however, be removed with a pen-knife. The trunk of the tree is light-grey, with comparatively thin cortex. It reaches a girth of about 12 feet and a bole length of about 60 feet. It usually forks at about 50 or 60 feet from the ground, and this is one of the typical features of the tree. The crown is rather open, with several main limbs and comparatively few branches. Another place where it is commonly seen, both in the Degema and Calabar districts, is in the old farms, standing as isolated specimens, or standards overshadowing all the secondary growth. It is one of the few trees that are preserved when a fresh clearing is made for a farm. The fruit is the shape of a large greengage, the fleshy part of which soon breaks away, leaving the hard nut inside. The fleshy pericarp is about a quarter of an inch in thickness.

The sapwood is white, tinged with pinkish stripes, and the heartwood pinkish-red, with very wide and numerous medullary rays, which are most numerous, and in fact more so than in any other tree, and are very typical of this timber. The wood is soft, splits well, is of somewhat open texture and rather fibrous grain. It planes up well with a smooth surface, takes nails well, and saws well. It is liable to be attacked by white ants. The sapwood is fairly narrow.

It is a moderately fast-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration only appears to be slight, chiefly owing to the fact, perhaps, that most of the nuts are gathered and eaten by the natives. It is somewhat exacting with regard to soil. It appears to like one that is somewhat rich, deep, moist and with good drainage. In waterlogged areas it becomes stag-headed. No plantations have been made of this tree.

The timber has not been exported, not has it been cut for local use. It appears, however, to be worthy of a trial as a substitute for light cedar or mahogany, especially from wind falls, which are not infrequent owing to the way it is left standing in the forests.

Native Use.—The nuts are used by the natives, and are considered very valuable, in the most out-of-the-way parts of the forest, as a source of food. They used to be sold in the Calabar market 250 for 3d. Further notes as to the oil-bearing properties of this nut will be found in the section dealing with the oil seeds and nuts.

=Combretaceæ.=

Terminalia sp. Yellow Terminalia, Black-bark Terminalia. Idigbo, Opepe, Epepe (Yoruba); Egoyn nebbi, Egoyn nikwi, Egoyn lukan (Benin).

According to the Yorubas this is the Idi of the forest.

Distribution.—It is found in the Ondo and Benin provinces of Nigeria.

Chief Characteristics.—It has a slightly fissured bark, increasing in age, light-brown in colour in youth, but darkening with age, almost appearing black in the distance, rather forming a criss-cross pattern. It flowers in May with small spikes or thin, stiff racemes, each with little yellow balls of staminate flowers. It has a compressed crown of two or three whorls of branches, but not so typical as that of T. scutifera. It is, however, much more widespreading, chiefly due to the fact that the tree on the whole is shorter and stouter than T. scutifera. The trunk is much more cylindrical, and the root spurns are very slight, and not buttress-shaped as in T. scutifera. The contrast between the light-green foliage and the dark-coloured bole is so great that the tree is quite unmistakable in this respect. The only one at all similar in this is False Shea Butter, Mimusops Djave, but even the trunk of this one appears lighter than the former. The slash is dark-brown, almost black, on the outer edge and yellow on the inside. The fruit is not unlike a large hazelnut, but the shuck is of looser build, and the interior seed can be more easily seen than in the case of the nut.

The sapwood is a faint yellow colour and the heartwood a good yellow. It is of the hardness of an ordinary softwood, with a straight, even grain and somewhat open pores. It planes well, takes nails, splits very easily and saws well. For outside work it is not durable unless very thoroughly dried. For interior fittings it is very durable. It is liable to attacks by termites outside. It seasons well, with only a small amount of shrinkage and slight liability to warping.

It is a fast-growing, slightly shade-bearing tree, with strong soil- protecting and soil-improving qualities. Natural regeneration appears to be fair. It sprouts from the stump, but is not very strong. It likes a good soil, with fair drainage but a good deal of moisture. It will stand a certain amount of flooding. It is occasionally almost gregarious. No plantations have been made with this tree. It reaches a girth of over 14 feet and a bole length of about 70 feet.

The timber has not been cut for export, but occasionally it has been sawn up for planks for local use. It deserves, however, a further trial for export as a floor-board and for local use for a similar purpose. There are comparatively large supplies, and the dimensions of the tree are such that large planks and boards could be cut out of it.

Native Use.—The tree is occasionally felled for making canoes, but it is not taken unless there is a shortage of other harder kinds.

Terminalia sp. Orange-barked Terminalia. Ayo, Aiyo (Yoruba); Ayo, Ulazo (Benin).

Distribution.—Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. It is one of the typical trees of the mixed deciduous forest zone, though it appears to be confined to certain localities, such as the Olokemeji Forest Reserve and other places.

Chief Characteristics.—Moderately thick bark, rather reminding one of Triplochiton, but with a certain amount of roughness and slight fissures. The crown is very pointedly oval and long, the leaves appearing only slightly terminal and not typically so. The branches tend to flatten out in old age, though they are slightly pendulous at the tips. The bole reaches a girth of about 10 feet and a height of 50 feet. The light patchy, orange-coloured bark is a most typical feature of this tree. Satinwood is the only one at all similar in this respect, but it is much smoother.

Timber.—White, with a faint yellow tint; the pores are much shorter than those of the other Terminalias, such as T. scutifera and Togoensis. The grain on the whole is finer and of closer texture. The timber is somewhat harder than either T. scutifera or T. sp., but not so hard as that of T. Togoensis. It planes well, takes nails, saws easily, but does not split so well. It is attacked by termites, but is durable for interior work. It is somewhat more brittle than T. sp.

It is a moderately rapid growing, light-demanding tree, with soil- protecting and soil-improving qualities. Natural regeneration does not appear to be good. It sprouts, but poorly from the stump, and if at all shaded dies away. It likes a moderately good soil, with a fair amount of moisture and depth.

The timber has not been cut for export, and only occasionally has it been felled for cutting into planks for local use. It deserves, however, a trial as a local flooring board. The available quantities so far discovered are not large enough to justify its trial as an export wood.

Utility.—The wood is used for planks and for canoes. It is likely to furnish timber for the home markets.

Local Use.—It has been used for making canoes, and also for sawing up into planks for house-building.

Terminalia scutifera. Shingle Wood. Afara (Yoruba); Oaha Egoyn, Egoyn nufwa (Benin).

It is a common tree in the Calabar, Ogoja, Owerri, Warri, Benin, Ondo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

The chief characteristics of this tree are the thin and far up- reaching root flanges and its thin, grey-coloured bark. It attains a height of about 200 feet and a girth of about 16 feet. The bole length often exceeds 100 feet. The crown is compressed and flat, with few main branches. It is usually found near water.

The timber is light-brown to almost yellowish-white, with darker streaks. The sapwood is almost white, but when dry is barely distinguishable from the heartwood, though when freshly cut the heartwood appears drier, and thus shows up against the damper sapwood. The wood is soft and planes easily, though not always giving a smooth surface. It is also easy to saw or cut with a chisel and splits well. It is attacked by termites.

On the whole the tree is a light-lover, and even the young self-sown seedlings only grow in comparatively open places near rivers, where there is no shade directly over them, though there may be trees to one side or the other. It is one of the typical trees of the evergreen and mixed deciduous zone, growing always on damp and deep soil. Natural reproduction by seed is good. Stool shoots grow, but do not persist for a great length of time. It often forms small pure groups in the secondary forest, and in suitable localities tends to be more prevalent in the secondary than in the primeval forest.

In Nigeria it has been used as planks, but is not considered very good. On the Gold Coast it has been used for shingles.

The natives occasionally use the tree for making canoes, also for bowls, plates, and native doors in the Benin country, but owing to its softness it is not considered of much account.

In figure No. 108 there is a picture of a very large specimen found in the Ikrigon Forest Reserve.

Terminalia Togoensis. Dry-zone Terminalia. Idi, Idi Odan (Yoruba).

Found in the Oyo, Benin and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. It is a very common tree, with slight foliage and small stem, which is usually forked about 10 feet from the ground. The slash is yellow and almost dry, which is most typical of the tree.

The wood is soft, though harder than most of the other Terminalias. It works easily, but does not split well. The sapwood is white and the heartwood of a pale yellow colour. The bark is rough and widely fissured. Natural regeneration by seed does not appear to be good, though stump shoots appear when the tree is cut down. It stands a considerable amount of fire, but it is a light-loving tree.

The local people find the stem useful for house-building posts, as it is comparatively durable and forked in shape.

Terminalia avicennioides.

It was stated it was found in the Calabar province.

Terminalia Brownii. Inya joko (Yoruba).

Found in the Abeokuta province.

Combretum racemosum. Ogan pupa (Yoruba); Akoso, Orsorsor (Benin).

Found in Olokemeji and Benin. Climbing shrub with red flowers and white bracts.

Combretum Lawsonianum. Ome (Benin).

It has red flowers and is found at Agege.

Combretum mucronatum. Okan pupa (Yoruba).

It is found in the Mamu Forest.

Combretum Zenkeri. Ogan (Yoruba).

It is found in the Yoruba country.

Combretum micranthum. Okan (Yoruba).

It is found in the Yoruba country.

Combretum glutinosum.

Combretum paucinervium.

Combretum Hartmannium.

These are climbing Combretums found in the Yoruba country.

Anogeissus leiocarpus (G. and P.). Yoruba Chew-stick. Ayin (Yoruba).

Distribution.—It is found in the Oyo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

Chief Characteristics.—This tree reaches a height of about 70 feet in favourable localities and a girth of 9 feet. With its birch-like foliage and the drooping and sweeping of the pendulous branches in old age, it is certainly the “Lady” of the African “open woods.” The little spherical fruits cover the ground in the early part of the dry season. The comparatively smooth bole, giving way to small scales of light-brown bark as the tree gets older, is a typical feature. It is often forked, especially low down. The bole is thin and slender in build, with upward tending branches, also very slender in build, but dark in colour. A blackish gum exudes when it is cut. The slash is yellow before the gum runs out.

Timber.—The sapwood is yellowish-white and the heartwood dark-brown to almost black in some specimens. It is hard, durable and termite- proof. It does not plane nor split well, takes nails with difficulty, but saws fairly easily.

Silvicultural Qualities.—It is a light-loving species, though in its youth it will stand a little shade. It is one of the first trees to appear on disused land, so long as the soil is good. Its foliage is a little acid, as it kills all grass, even Ekon, and for this purpose is invaluable as a tree for admixture with more valuable species. It is somewhat exacting as to soil.

Once it gets started after being planted, or as a self-sown seedling on good soil, it is a rapid-growing tree, which is only hindered in its growth by the annually recurring grass-fires. Wherever it is protected it develops into a straight-boled, large tree. The branches are very persistent, so that close planting is most necessary. Several plantations have been made with this tree.

Utility.—The tree is burnt for its ashes for fixing native dyes; the roots are used for chewing-sticks, and the bark is used medicinally by the natives.

It yields a good firewood which gives great heat. The smaller poles make very useful hut-building timber, as it is so often forked.

It should find a place as an avenue tree, owing to the delicate green, the drooping nature of its foliage, and the moderate amount of shade cast on the road.

The timber has not been tried for export, but with its dark black and sometimes streaky coloration it is worthy of a trial. Locally it has occasionally been cut for planks and for house-building. It is not liked because it is so hard. The sapwood is rather wide. The timber is sometimes rather knotty, especially containing dry knots. It is sometimes attacked by a large borer, making large holes in it.

Laguncularia racemosa. White Mangrove or White Button.

This species is found growing in the swamp regions, also on the coast. It yields timber, tanning, dyeing materials and medicaments.

=Myrtaceæ.=

Eugenia Owariensis (Beauv.). West African Allspice. Adere (Yoruba).

It is a common tree of the Olokemeji Reserve and the Abeokuta and Oyo provinces.

With its comparatively short bole (about 8 feet) and wide, almost spherically-shaped crown, it is one of the largest and most conspicuous of the dry-zone trees. The tree attracts the pigeons, but not so much as the wild fig. The flowers are very minute and insignificant. The fruit is very small and poor.

Reaching only a girth of about 4 feet, it does not yield very large timber. Although moderately hard and durable, it has not yet found a place in the local market. It is doubtful if it is termite-proof. It might be used for making boxes or for small articles of furniture in localities where wood is scarce.

It is a comparatively slow-growing tree, almost soil-improving, and of a light-loving nature.

Owing to its comparatively dense foliage partially shading the ground and thus killing the grass, it is a distinctly helpful species in the protection from fire of a dry-zone forest.

Natural reproduction by seed is only moderate, but stump shoots are strong, and it appears that root suckers also come up in certain places.

Eugenia Owariensis. Isinren (Yoruba).

This tree is found in the dry-zone forests—a spreading tree which flowers in February.

It yields timber, edible fruits and medicaments.

=Melastomaceæ.=

Memecylon sp., nr. Barterii.

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

=Araliaceæ.=

Cussonia Nigerica (Hutch.). Elephant Sugar-cane. Sigo (Yoruba).

This is an evenly and rather deeply fissured small tree of the dry- zone forest, which has in the main only a great tuft of large digitate leaves at the top of the stem. It is occasionally branched, when it gives an appearance of bearing all the leaves at the end of the stem. It is fairly common in the Olokemeji Forest Reserve of the Abeokuta province. This tree is one of the few digitate-leaved trees of the dry zone, and is certainly one with the largest; it is a fire-resisting tree. The natives occasionally use the stem for house and verandah posts.

=Umbelliferæ.=

Heptapleura Mannii. Found in the Oban Reserve.

=Sapotaceæ.=

Mimusops multinervis. Emido or Sleeper Wood. Ako Emido (Yoruba); Aganokwi (Benin).

This species is found in the Abeokuta and Oyo provinces of Nigeria; it is most common, and, in fact, forms almost half the crop in the belt of forest just on the south side of the railway four to six miles east and west of Olokemeji Station. The most distinguishing feature of this tree is the grey, thick, deeply-fissured bark. With its comparatively short bole and stout, crooked branches, it is not unlike an oak. It reaches a height of about 80 feet and a girth of about 15 feet. The root spurns are practically non-existent. The trunk tapers off quite abruptly after each series of branches. The crown is rather long and sometimes almost pear-shaped. The foliage is dense, and, for the size of the tree, the leaves are small. The flowers are small and white and conspicuous. The fruit is a small round nut, about half an inch in diameter. The leaves are a very dark green colour, but on the upper surface are often shiny.

The sapwood is white and, for the size of the tree, comparatively narrow. The heartwood is a deep red colour, which it retains even after the wood is dry. In sections from older trees it exhibits isolated white streaks, scattered here and there through the heartwood. This is made of a small mineral deposit which is closely allied to apatite. It is one of the hardest of the African woods and also the most durable; it splits most satisfactorily; it saws very cleanly, planes well, but owing to its extreme hardness takes nails with difficulty. It is termite-proof. It is just as durable in, as out of the ground. It burns with a fierce heat and, in fact, makes the hottest fire of any of the West African woods. The grain is very close, though sometimes it shows some figure. The knots in the wood produce some pretty “curl” effects.

The tree is a shade-bearing, soil-improving species of the mixed deciduous forest. It is very slow-growing, often not showing a greater height-growth than 6 inches per year. In its youth the branches grow more or less in whorls of three or four branches; these branches are very persistent. Natural generation good; it demands a good soil, but will stand a great deal of moisture, not to say flooding of the area for several months of the year. It flowers in February; the roots are comparatively deep-growing and there is a distinct tap-root. Some plantations have been made with this tree. It has been tried as a species to mix with ebony, and for this it seems suitable. In similar localities this species and ebony are often found.

Locally it is used as a house-building wood and occasionally for firewood. The timber has been cut up into sleepers and found to be most durable. When it was used in an unseasoned state, and in very dry territory, it was found to split—but this was scarcely a fair test of the wood. It has also been used as joists and for the framework of buildings, for which purposes it has proved very useful. Local carpenters have complained about its hardness, but usually the tools used have not been of such high quality necessary to give the best results when working on this wood.

The timber has not been used for export, but it deserves a trial, especially for railway sleepers.

To face p. 376.

Mimusops Djave. African Pearwood, False Shea Butter Nut, Cross River Nut. Aganokwi No. I. (Benin), Nyam (Efik).

It is found in the Benin, Owerri, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. It is also known as Cherry Mahogany. It is a moderately common tree in the evergreen forest zone, up to the end of the mixed deciduous forest zone. It is one of the giant forest trees, attaining a girth of over 30 feet and a height of over 200 feet; its bole is one of the straightest of African trees, the trunk often reaching over 100 feet without a branch. The crown is flattish and almost symmetrical in its roundness; it is formed with three or four main limbs spreading out at almost right angles to the trunk. The foliage is heavy and the sword-shaped leaves almost appear as though they were digitate, looking at them from the base of the tree. From a short distance the trunk looks almost black, but on closer inspection the bark is seen to be deeply fissured in a comparatively even lattice-work fashion. The slash is white and a thick white latex exudes. The root spurns are only slight, except in old age; otherwise the bole is one of the most cylindrical of African trees. (In illustration No. 100 a tree of about 8 feet in girth shows the very straight and even thickness of the bole.) The fruit falls to the ground about the beginning of November, and crushes on contact with the ground, showing the yellow floury pulp inside. The pulp has an extremely dry, sweet, almost nauseating taste and is inclined to stick in the throat. This huge fruit, the size of a man’s fist, is almost like a huge plum, with rough opaque surface and almost spherical in shape; inside, embedded in the pulp, are two, three or four lobed nuts, smooth and shiny on the more rounded face and rough on the other; in some respects they are roughly kidney- shaped when looked at sideways. The flowers are white and small; the tree loses its leaves for three or four days, when fresh ones come out again.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood of a rich red colour, often showing figured rosy grain; it is very hard, heavy and very durable, and is sometimes cross-grained, though usually the texture is fine and planes up with a smooth surface; it saws well, but is too hard to take nails, except in very thin wood. The sapwood is usually only two or three inches wide; the heartwood forms comparatively early in the life of the tree. On the whole, this tree has a more open grain than the other Mimusops.

Although the tree can stand a little shade in its youth, it is really a light-loving species: after the first year the height-growth rapidly increases when trees standing in a plantation have plenty of light. In illustration No. 93 some trees only twelve years old show how rapidly they develop under suitable conditions. None of these trees have yet come into the nut-bearing stage, but it appears that in favourable localities the trees will bear fruit between the fifteenth and twentieth year.

It is a soil protecting and improving tree—in fact, the thick leaves form some of the finest soil found in the forest. Natural regeneration is not usually very good, because the seedlings have little or no light, growing as they do from seeds which have fallen under the parent tree. Duika and various other animals spread the seeds in old farms where the trees have a chance of growing up. The timber has occasionally been shipped to Europe and has been sold at Hamburg as pearwood at 6d. per superficial foot, but the more rosy and figured wood has also found a sale in Liverpool, as it sometimes looks almost like a pinkish mahogany; it is, however, by no means well known, and further trials with the wood should certainly be made. Small consignments of the nuts have been exported from the Cross River and sold in Liverpool as a substitute for Shea nuts; they are found to be of a similar nature and of similar value for making an edible oil. The original cost was rather high, so that the nuts did not yield a profit on the transaction; however, with greater quantities being brought the cost should not be so high, and also, since this first experiment was made, the price of all oil nuts has risen enormously, so that at the present time there is an ample margin between the cost of production and the selling price. In the Cameroons the Balong natives dry the nuts, which they split open in two pieces, pick off the thin shell and boil out the thick buttery-like substance, which is used for cooking.

On our tour through their country we also tried it in place of lard, and found it quite suitable and quite pleasant to the taste and only about half the cost. In Nigeria, only the Oban people apparently know anything about making this butter from the nuts; in other parts it is quite unknown. The tree is not felled, but, on account of its size and all-inspiring form, is considered “Ju-ju”; pieces of the bark are chipped off and used as medicine to increase a person’s strength.

By the way, the constant cutting away of the bark at the base of the tree and the continual struggle of the tree to overgrow these wounds causes the grain to grow quite unevenly and wavering, thus forming figured wood.

Mimusops lacera. Benin Pearwood. Aganokwi (Benin).

In 1906 samples of this timber were sold in the Liverpool market as mahogany of a good, rich colour. It is found in the swamps near the Osse and Cross Rivers.

Dumoria Heckeli (A. Chev.). Oban Mahogany.

It is found in Tropical West Africa. It yields a fair timber. An immense tree of the Oban Reserve, similar to Mimusops Djave.

Omphalocarpum procerum. Ikassa (Benin), Apassa, Ukpassa (Efik).

It is found in the Calabar, Benin and Ondo provinces of Nigeria.

It is a common tree of the evergreen forest. It reaches a height of 60 feet with a girth of 28 feet. The bole is short and the crown long, but narrow. The huge, flatly spherically-shaped fruits, quite 9 inches in diameter and 6 inches thick, are most characteristic of the tree. These protrude just from the trunk or heavy branches with little or no stalk. The depression in them, top and bottom, is quite an inch deep. There are about sixty seeds inside, more like nuts. The leaf is large.

The sapwood is white and heartwood is brown-red. It is very hard.

It grows slowly and stands the shade. The seeds germinate well. It does not sprout from the stump nor do root shoots appear. Elephants and other animals, porcupines especially, eat the fruit.

The seeds are used in playing Ikbo, a Benin game. The seeds also are used, tied in front of Apata sticks, for making a musical instrument, or tied to the ankles of small boys to make a noise like a rattle when they start to walk.

Butyrospermum Parkii. Shea Butter Tree, Dry-zone Oak. Emi-emi or Emi- gidi (Yoruba).

This is one of the most prevalent trees of the Oyo province of the Southern Provinces of Nigeria and of the Borgu, Niger and Nassarawa provinces of the Northern Provinces of Nigeria. In places it is almost gregarious, but it is most commonly found in mixture with the Dwarf Red Ironwood, Lophira alata. In appearance it is most like a gnarled old oak, except that the base is often burnt and partially hollow. It is a large tree, reaching a height of about 40 feet and a girth of over 10 feet. The root spurns are comparatively short and rounded; the bole is short, attaining a length of up to 25 feet; the crown is almost spherical, but rather inclined to be broken up by three or four main branches; these are very thick in comparison to the size of the tree, but not so much in proportion as in the case of the Baobab. The bark is grey and very deeply fissured, more or less in criss-cross fashion, and even with deeper and wider fissures than that of the oak. The slash is white, and a small amount of thick white latex exudes very slowly from the cut. In the case of the Dwarf Ironwood scarcely any ordinary sap exudes and no latex. The leaves are about 10 inches long, a very dark green and shiny, and not unlike the hart’s-tongue fern, but somewhat broader at the end; the greenness of the leaves, their shininess, and the greater thickness distinguish them from those of the Dwarf Red Ironwood. The under surface of the leaf is whitish, sometimes almost grey; the flowers are white and come out in December; the fruit is like a small green plum and ripens in May. The leaves persist over one season. The green pericarp covering the nut can be eaten and is not unpleasant to the taste. The nut itself is not unlike a chestnut in its being brown and shiny; the shape, however, is more oval, with one comparatively sharp ridge.

The sapwood is white and comparatively wide; the heartwood is a rich dark-red colour; it is very hard and durable; it is termite-proof; it splits very badly, does not take nails well; it is hard to plane and is sawn none too easily. It does not warp or crack to any extent while it is seasoning under proper conditions; it burns with great heat, but rather less than in the case of Emido.

It is a rather slow-growing tree, with soil-protecting and soil- improving qualities; as a light-loving species takes up a good deal of space. Natural regeneration appears to be poor, and may be due to the fact that the flowers appear, or before the young fruit has only just set, as the annual grass-fires run through the open deciduous forests where this tree is found. On the other hand, root suckers grow in great profusion. It also sprouts well from the stump. It is one of the most fire-resisting trees, and the thick bark no doubt protects it from its worst ravages. It may be considered one of the most typical trees of the drier parts of the open deciduous forests. A few sample plots have been tried with this tree, but it does not stand transplanting at all well. Rodents such as the cut-grass (ground pig) are very fond of the nuts, and no doubt destroy a great number whilst they are germinating. Fire-protecting root suckers and other young trees have thus far proved the most effective method of increasing the number of mature trees. It does not appear to be very exacting as to soil, but no doubt the growth is best on moist alluvial flats so long as they are well drained.

Locally the most valuable part of the tree is the nut, from which the Shea butter is boiled out after three days; it is a general article of diet instead of palm oil, in those districts where the latter is hard to obtain. Locally, also, the largest trees are cut down and made into mortars for beating food; these fetch a price of 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. apiece; they are considered not only the most suitable, but also the most durable, except those made of the wood of the Oil Bean (Pentaclethra macrophylla). In other places it is used as a house- building timber.

As far as Europeans are concerned, the chief value of the tree lies in its nuts, which are either exported quite unprepared or in the form of the butter as the natives make it, in large elliptical-shaped sausages about 2 feet long and 9 inches in diameter. For these purposes it has become a regular article of commerce, and only lack of suitable means of transport prevents much greater quantities being collected and exported to the European markets. In Europe its most suitable use is said to be as a medium or inside substance of chocolate creams. The butter itself has a most peculiar and rather nauseating flavour, which is removed on its being refined and purified. The timber has not been tried for export.

Chrysophyllum sp.?. Round Star Apple. A species of Star Apple. Agoma (Benin).

The fruit is quite spherical and supposed to be larger than C. Africanum. It is somewhat similar to C. Kainato. The natives squeeze the fruit in order to eat it.

Chrysophyllum Africanum. African Star Apple or Edible Star Apple. Osangbalumo (Yoruba); Otien (Benin).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Warri, Owerri, and Calabar provinces of Nigeria. It is a medium-sized tree, often found growing at the roadside at the edge of the villages or as an avenue leading up to them.

The most characteristic feature of this tree is the silvery underside of the leaf, which is formed by minute white hairs. In the fruiting season, another characteristic is the golden-coloured, pointedly pear- shaped fruit, which bursts on falling to the ground. A white latex exudes from the fruit; this latex is sucked out and is tartly sweet to the taste. Inside the fruit are five thin, elliptic-shaped seeds; these are brown and very shiny. Their position inside the fruit probably gave rise to the English name.

The wood is white and soft; it cuts easily and planes well, but does not split well. The grain of the timber is fine and the texture smooth. It is a moderately fast growing tree and the wood is not durable. The slash is white, and the tree exudes a white latex when cut; the foliage is very dense, and the dark upper surface of the leaves is a great contrast to the underside. It is a soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. The timber has not been exported to Europe. It is occasionally used by the natives for making “Ju-jus” such as the devil.

Chrysophyllum sp. Monkey Star Apple or Monkey Otien. Osang Palambi, Osang Edan (Yoruba); Ekuso (?), Ekpuro, Otiemmie (Benin).

This is a moderately prevalent tree in the Calabar, Ogoja, Benin, Ondo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a medium-sized tree with a small leaf. It attains a girth of about 8 feet. The golden-brown of the underside of the leaves is most typical of this tree and makes it easily distinguished from Chrysophyllum Africanum; in fact, in passing through the forest this is one of the few trees having brown tomentose hairs on the underside of the leaf. The crown is broad and flat and heavy. The bole is not too long and is covered with a smooth light-brown-coloured bark.

The Benin native name means that it is the Monkey Otien, that is to say, not the one that men may eat. It is usually found in the evergreen forest.

The timber is white, light and soft, and is attacked by termites. It has not so far been cut for export or local use.

Native Use.—The fruit is sometimes eaten by the Benins.

Chrysophyllum albidum (Don.). White Star Apple. Osum Agbalumo (Yoruba).

This is one of the Star Apples of the Yoruba Forest, where it is found chiefly in the Abeokuta province. It is not very prevalent. The fruit is not so esteemed by the natives as that of Osangbalumo. The bole is somewhat straighter and less branched than that of C. Africanum. The wood is white and soft; the stem is not absolutely round, being somewhat fluted at the base, with narrow and thin spurs which extend 4 to 6 feet up the stem. The natives occasionally use the wood for household utensils. It has not been cut for export.

Chrysophyllum Welwitchii.

This so-called Forcados Star Apple was found in the forest just behind the station of Forcados. It is not a very common tree.

Malacantha sp. nov. Akala (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve and neighbouring parts of the Abeokuta and Ibadan provinces. In many places it is very prevalent, though it does not grow actually gregariously. It reaches up to a medium size. The bole does not exceed a length of much over 15 feet and a girth of 5 feet. With its four narrow, somewhat long (up to 4 feet) buttress root spurns, the base of the stem forms a rather irregular shape. The bark is roughish and scales off to a slight extent as the tree becomes older.

The leaves are inclined to be placed at the terminals of the shoots and twigs, and the main veins are very prominent, giving the impression that the leaf has only comparatively recently opened. The leaf is a little rough to the touch, and rather dry and thickish. It is a distinctly yellowish-green colour. The foliage is very sparse.

With its none too straight stem and comparatively slight amount of foliage it presents a poor appearance.

The wood is of a pleasant light-yellow colour and comparatively hard. It planes up with a smooth surface and saws easily. It does not take nails well, nor does it split easily. It is termite-proof.

Natural regeneration appears to be slight, but stool and root shoot reproduction seem to be strong. The seeds are very small and appear like little round, spherical nuts. Although it will bear a slight amount of shade in its youth, it is a light-loving species later on.

Occurring as it does in the mixed deciduous forests, near the lower edge of the dry-zone vegetation it should prove a useful tree, especially as it is comparatively fire-resisting.

Although comparatively slow-growing it attains sufficient size to be cut up into verandah-posts and banister rails and uprights.

On the whole, quite a respectable quantity of timber could be obtained in the aggregate from the large number of trees found growing in the forests.

Pachystela cinereum (Pierre). Osan odo, Orban igba (Yoruba).

Found in the Abeokuta province.

=Ebenaceæ.=

Diospyros Mombuttensis, syn. Sinensis. Walking-stick Ebony or Yoruba Ebony. Ogan pupa, Aggan Egbo (Egba) (Yoruba); Ungungmekkan (Benin).

It is a small tree with reddish-coloured stem and very thin, scaly bark, often branching near the base and usually forming several stems up to 18 inches in girth instead of one main stem. It has a large, alternate leaf, with large leaf scars, amounting to projections from the twigs. The fruit is like an acorn, but of reddish colour, with a very small, low-rimmed cup. The twigs are reddish colour too, which is most typical of the tree.

It is common in the Benin, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Oyo and Ondo provinces of Nigeria.

Timber.—Very hard, whitish-brown wood.

E. Use.—Walking-sticks, as it often grows forming a natural handle.

Native Use.—Walking-sticks.

Diospyros sp. Benin Ebony. Owegbo (Benin).

A medium-sized tree, yielding a black ebony, which is prevalent in the Benin forests. The bark scales off like D. atropurpurea. It is a larger tree, though, than the last named. It likes the dense forest with a deep, damp soil.

In proportion the sapwood is white and very wide.

The tree is slow-growing, shade-bearing, with soil-protecting and soil-improving qualities. Natural regeneration is weak.

The timber has not been exported, nor has it been sawn up for local use.

Native Use.—Firewood.

Diospyros mespiliformis. Monkey Guava or Yoruba Ebony, Kanran, Etini (Yoruba); Igedudu (Benin).

From the similarity of its fruit to a medlar it obtains its botanical name.

It is found in the Abeokuta and Ibadan provinces of Nigeria, in the mixed deciduous forest zone. In places such as the Olokemeji Forest Reserve and neighbourhood it is very prevalent and almost gregarious in habit. As regards height, and almost always as regards girth, it is the largest of almost all the ebony-trees, with the exception of one species found near the Niger, reaching a girth of over 14 feet and a bole length of 70 feet. At the pole stage, and as it gets older, the bark is evenly fissured, vertically and horizontally, breaking up into small black-edged sections of about 2 inches long and ½ inch wide. Until it is much over 2 feet in girth the cortex is smooth, dark-green or black. After this it becomes rather rough, with small fissures. Although often very cylindrical in shape, the bole sometimes has very considerable taper—in fact, more so than many other trees. The branches come out almost at right angles to the stem and are very persistent, still remaining as short snags for many years after they have been broken off by storms or other agencies. The leaves are smallish and lanceolate in shape, and almost appear to be silvery on the under surface and very dark green on the upper surface. The thinner branches appear silvery-grey, though they are very similar, but thinner in comparison to M. multinervis, which are found in the same locality growing side by side. The leaf has a few fine veins. The fruit is flatly spherical, and is like a little medlar with its russet-brown rough surface and the dried-up sepals of the flower on it. It is, however, larger than than of Multinervis.

The sapwood is white and narrow and the heartwood dark-brown to black, sometimes even green-black. It is very hard—in fact, almost the hardest of all African woods, with perhaps the exception of Yoruba Ironwood, Red Ironwood, and African Greenheart. It splits fairly well. It is inclined to be brittle, especially in timber from larger specimens, planes well and saws well, but is difficult to nail. It is termite-proof. Occasionally a large boring beetle burrows into the wood when it is lying on the ground. However, the grubs which do this damage are considered a delicacy by the natives, so that wherever found they are soon collected and eaten. The younger tree grows with branches more or less in whorls, but not so regular as those of M. multinervis. When fresh it is liable to warp. It keeps its colour better than most of the ebonies. It occasionally shows a little figure. In proportion it has the largest heartwood of any of them, and for this reason is a most valuable tree.

To face p. 384.

Diospyros Kamerunensis. Cameroon Ebony.

This tree has been found in the Boji Hills Forest as well as in the Cameroons. Although not of great size, it yields a comparatively large and black-hearted ebony. The fruit is much larger than that of most other species. It is comparatively prevalent at an elevation of about 1,000 feet in the Boji Hills. Up to the present it is doubtful if it has been worked at all. The natives have no use for the tree.

Diospyros Barteri. Ebony Nut or Yam Stick. Ivioha (Benin).

Small ebony-shrub of the Benin province of Nigeria, found near Okomo in rather moist ground. The natives have no use for the wood.

Diospyros bipendensis. South Cameroon Ebony.

It is supposed to be found in the Oban Reserve.

Diospyros crassiflora. Benin Ebony. Aborkpor (Benin).

It yields the black ebony of the Benin country and is somewhat prevalent. Found in the Benin, Abeokuta and Onitsha provinces of Nigeria. A tree with a small leaf.

It forms almost pure groups or even small stands, of half a mile and less in extent, near the banks of the Niger. It can stand swampy ground. It used to be cut in the Onitsha district.

Diospyros sp. Benin Ebony. Isanhianme or Ehrenyegbo (Benin).

A common tree of the Benin province of Nigeria. It is supposed to yield a good ebony. It does not reach a very large size. It is a soil protecting and improving tree. Locally it is used for house-building.

In 1906 samples of this timber were sold in the Liverpool market as mahogany at 1s. 6d. per cubic foot. Since that time it has not been exported.

Diospyros atropurpurea (Gurke). Brown Ebony. Igedudu (Yoruba); Igedudu (Benin).

It is a small tree, attaining a girth of about 4 feet. The heartwood is usually brown with black streaks, giving it a curious and diverse streakiness, not unlike black marble or Indian Blackwood. The flower is reddish-purple coloured and quite conspicuous, growing out of the upper surface of the twig without a stalk of any kind. The bark is almost black and peels off in very thin, oblong-shaped flakes; the cortex underneath is green. In old age it is hollow at the first branch joint.

It is found in the Benin and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. About one- third of the diameter of a mature tree is heartwood. Apparently a slow-growing tree, though none have been planted. It is a shade-bearer in the evergreen and mixed forest; natural regeneration is not good. A large cerambix or other borer makes finger-thick holes in the sap and heartwood of old trees.

It should be an export timber of value, but it was only valued at £5 to £10 a ton in 1906. It has been used for mirror frames.

Native Use.—For firewood in the Benin country, where it is considered very good.

Diospyros suaveolens. Benin Ebony. Oohoo (Benin).

It is a small-sized tree, with very small heartwood and a small, oblong, almost lanceolate leaf. The bark, which is quite black, has slight fissures and is much harder than that of D. atropurpurea.

It is prevalent in the Benin country, Nigeria.

It likes to grow near water, but not in a swampy place. It is a slow- grower and shade-bearer, being found as an undergrowth in the high forest. It is not attacked by white ants. The wood is hard and durable.

Native Use.—It is used for house-building as rafters, as well as for axe-handles of any kind. Small trees are used for making bows (long) for shooting birds.

Diospyros verrucosa.

This tree, although named from the Cameroons, is found in the Abeokuta and Benin provinces of Nigeria. The twigs are very rough compared to the other species.

Diospyros dendo?. Cross River Ebony. Ebubri etu, Obiliteto (Efik); Itiuyang (Oban, Ekoi).

It is a medium-sized tree with dark-green, smooth bark, with large lanceolate leaves and strong upward-spreading branches, which makes the bole shorter than it would otherwise be. The fruit is almost pear- shaped, containing four long, thin, wedge-shaped seeds, brown outside and white inside.

It is found in the Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, in the evergreen forest zone of the hill forests.

The crown is rather irregular in shape, being supported with two or three main limbs from the bole. It reaches a girth of about 6 feet and a bole length of 12 feet.

The sapwood is wide and white and the heartwood black. The tree is occasionally attacked by a large borer, which makes large holes nearly ¾ inch in diameter. The timber is very hard, but if the tree is killed by fire it becomes a little more brittle than is usually the case. In old trees which may be left lying in the forest, the middle of the heartwood often decays away with ground-rot. It planes well and saws well. Nails often split it. It splits moderately well, especially when free of knots.

It is a very slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil- improving tree. On the whole, it is more exacting as to soil than most other trees, being usually found on a good loam rich in humus, which is moist and with fair drainage. Natural regeneration is none too good. Stump shoots are very weak, and often do not occur. It has not yet been planted. It is very susceptible to fire—in fact, more so than perhaps any other tree. The timber has been exported for many years from Calabar, but of late in decreasing quantities, owing to the exhaustion of the nearer sources of supply, and to the fact that only small billets under 3 feet in length, not square, and only 3 or 4 inches in cross-section were cut. The usual native method of procedure is very curious. On making a clearing for a farm, any ebony standing there gets killed with the fire, and having comparatively few roots and being very heavy, the tree falls down. Before abandoning the farm the native may put a mark on this tree, or at any rate make a mental note of its existence. After a year or two, if he is in need of money to buy clothes, or wishes to purchase anything, he goes back to this old farm, finds this tree, perhaps externally somewhat charred, and perhaps the centre of the heartwood rotted away; he proceeds to cut it into lengths of about 10 or 12 feet. These he then splits lengthways into segments with a rounded side of about 5 inches, the two split sides about 4 inches, and the inner surface about 3 inches. In order to get these long pieces of suitable dimension to carry to the nearest factory or trading station, he cuts them into three or four billets; two or three of these, according to weight, are tied together and carried to the factory. It is sold by weight, and sometimes 200 billets go to the ton, though a smaller quantity of a larger size would be better and secure a better price. This method should be compared with the superior one adopted by the natives of the Cameroons. Compared to the usual price of £6 or £7 per ton for Calabar ebony, Cameroon wood usually fetches £10 to £12.

Diospyros xanthochlamys. Okahimi (Benin).

This is one of the Benin ebonies and is not very prevalent. It is said to yield a good ebony.

Maba Mannii. Benin Maba.

It is a common tree in the Benin and Ondo provinces of Nigeria. It only reaches a girth of 4 feet and a short bole of about 10 feet. It is much branched, even low down, the branches being persistent and crooked. The leaves are small, rather less than ebony itself. The leaf is really a long, pinnate one, with thirty pairs of pinnæ. The fruit is white, soft and oblong, with small seeds.

The tree has a white sapwood with a black heartwood, rather small in proportion to the size of the stem. It does not split well. Termites do not attack it, but occasionally the gigas borers make holes in it. It grows slowly and stands a good deal of shade. It sprouts well from the stool and the seed also grows fairly well. It grows in the damp, deep soil and does not stand fire at all. It belongs to the evergreen forest zone.

This tree has not been cut for local use or exported to Europe. It is used as firewood, and is considered better than most other woods, even Ohia, Celtis sp.

=Oleaceæ.=

Schrebera Golungensis. Hard Yellow Wood. Opele (Yoruba); Udegwoga (?) (Benin).

It is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria, Olokemeji and Ilaro Reserves.

It is a large tree, reaching a girth of about 10 feet. The smooth, light-green bark with yellow patches differs from the Celtis species, which is rougher, and the Afrormosia species, which is orange-red and peels off. The leaves are small for the size of the tree. The crown is narrow and long and the branches forming it slender. The curious small pear-shaped dehiscent fruit, showing four oblong niches for seeds, is most typical of the tree. In other respects the habit and build of the tree is similar to the Celtis species, especially with the root spurns slightly corrugating the base of the bole. It is not a common tree, but usually a fair number of specimens are seen in any locality where it has been found. The bole is very straight and free from branches for quite a height of the tree.

The timber is a dull-yellow colour, fine grain, of smooth texture and moderately hard. It planes to a smooth, almost shining surface. It scarcely shrinks or warps when drying.

It sprouts slightly from the stump, though the shoots do not seem to have much strength.

The timber has not yet been exported, though its valuable quality should assure it of a market. Sample planks used at Olokemeji proved most durable.

Native Use.—The fruit is used by the Yorubas for divining the future.

=Loganiaceæ.=

Strychnos densiflora (Baill.). African Strychnos Tree. Attako (Yoruba); Egbeda (Benin).

It is found in the dry-zone forest of the Ibadan and Benin provinces of Nigeria, where it seems to be very prevalent.

Chief Characteristics.—It is a small tree or shrub, up to 12 feet high, with small leaves and very hard wood.

It is of slow growth, but on the whole is a shade-bearer and soil- protecting and soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration appears to be poor.

It has not been planted.

Apparently the seeds have not yet been examined as to their value. The timber is too small for export or local use, except for hut-building.

Use.—The Benin natives use the stem for making snares for Duika and the branches for making brooms, as they are very tough.

Anthocleista nobilis. Ogugu, Sapho, Apa Oro (Yoruba); Orrimogungun, Oriweni (Benin).

It is found in the Ibadan, Abeokuta, Benin and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria.

It has huge soft leaves, and is one of the first plants to appear on a clearing in the dry-zone or mixed forests. In old age the leaf is much smaller, and the mass of white flowers along the uppermost branches is most typical of the tree. It is often almost gregarious, and in most places more than one tree is found in the immediate neighbourhood. Reaching a girth of about 3 feet, its stem does not exceed 20 feet in height. There are usually two or three main branches into which it divides. The wood is soft and white.

It is a light-loving, rapid-growing tree, which is soil-protecting and soil-improving in youth, but is too open in crown after a few years. It should, however, prove a useful nurse for superior species in the dry zone.

Native Use.—Firewood in places where wood is scarce.

=Apocynaceæ.=

Alstonia Congensis (Eng.). Pattern Wood, Stool Wood. Ahun, Awun, Ogudugbu (Yoruba); Ukhu (Benin); Ekuri Ebu (Ibo Owerri); Abo, Idu (Efik); Ofemm (Bembi); Etiap, Oguk (Oban, Ekoi).

It is a large tree, growing up to a height of 100 feet and 10 feet girth. The white lenticels on the bark are very typical of the tree, and give it the appearance of having a rust disease. The crown is formed of two or three whorls of branches and is very flat in old age. The tree grows always in whorls, though it may have more than one stem. In the distance the leaves appear to be digitate, but in reality three to seven are found to be growing out of the end of one stalk, all being much the same size. The crown is flatly umbrella-shaped. It has comparatively few branches. The root flanges are slight, soon merging into the trunk. At the base of the bole, however, they are not absolutely round in shape, but have two or three large ridges, sometimes almost subdividing it. The slash is white, with yellow spots. A chalky white latex exudes when it is cut, rapidly running down the stem like a streak of whitewash.

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ondo, Benin, Owerri, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria in the evergreen and mixed deciduous forest zone. It is a very common tree throughout this region and is usually found growing singly.

The timber is white, there being little or no difference between sapwood and heartwood. When dry, it is very light and soft. It splits and planes easily, saws well, and takes nails easily. The grain is close and fine and very even in texture. Although dull, it works up to a smooth finish. It is attacked by termites. It is not durable in the open, but under cover it lasts quite well. In drying it is liable to shrink and warp a little, but with care this can be avoided. It seasons comparatively quickly. It cuts easily with a knife or chisel and might take the place of lime as a carving-wood. From its texture it should take stains very well.

It is a very fast-growing, at first slightly shade-bearing and latterly a light-loving tree, which thoroughly protects the soil and enriches it with its leaf fall. Natural regeneration appears to be good, as it sprouts well from the stump. It seems to like a good soil with plenty of moisture, and will even withstand floods. It is not fire-resisting. The crown and branches are liable to be broken with a high wind.

In 1906 samples of this timber were sold in the Liverpool market as a whitewood, but it was considered to be of no value. It deserves a further trial as a pattern-wood, comparatively large quantities being available. Locally it has not been sawn up for planks.

In Calabar the timber is used for stools, which are carved out of large solid blocks of this wood in one piece, without a joint.

Native Use.—In the Benin country the timber is used for doors and the roots for medicine.

The box of the musical instrument Asologun, a kind of zither, is made of this wood in the Yoruba country. The latex is used for mixing with real rubber latex of the Anyo or Funtumia elastica tree.

Voacanga Africana (Stapf.). Cloth Shrub. Dodo, Giwini (Yoruba); Igbo (Benin).

It is a common shrub-like tree in the Ogoja, Onitsha, Benin, Warri, Ondo, Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. The tree is usually noticeable from its white wax-like, trumpet-shaped flowers, which have a very fragrant scent, and which very rapidly wither when cut. The bark is thin and extremely fibrous and hard to break, so much so that the natives of the Asaba district make grass-like fibre out of it and mix it with a silk fibre to make a very durable kind of cloth, which the natives wear. It grows in waste places and requires light. It sprouts well from the stump.

Conopharyngia durissima.

This tree is found in the Western Provinces. It is of a similar size to C. pachysiphon, and the timber is just as durable.

Conopharyngia pachysiphon. False Boxwood. Dodo? (Yoruba); Ibbu (Benin).

It is a common tree in the Calabar, Warri, Benin and Ondo provinces of Nigeria. A small tree, attaining a girth of only 4 feet, with a large leaf, bearing large spherical-shaped fruits in pairs. The large creamy-white, strongly scented flowers are conspicuous to both sight and scent. The bark, even in its younger stages, is covered with small yellow lenticels. The wood is hard and yellow in colour, and there is no difference between sapwood and heartwood. The latex has sometimes been used as an adulterant for rubber. It is a shade-bearer, and is found at the border of the evergreen and mixed deciduous forests.

The natives of the Benin country use the roots for medicinal purposes.

Farquharia elliptica. Onanisankianmon (Benin).

This is a member of the new genus of Farquharia found by Mr. Farquhar in the Benin province of Nigeria, near Ugumu. It is not stated whether the natives use this as a source of rubber or not.

Landolphia florida (Benth.). Rubber Vine. Ibugidi, Ibo-akitipa (Yoruba).

A vine found throughout Southern Nigeria, though most abundant in the dry-zone fringing forests and in the intermediate forests, and at Ottoa, Benin province. It bears white flowers having yellow centres.

Uses.—Milky juice is obtained from this vine, but it is not good rubber, and has no market value.

Landolphia scandens. Ibo (Yoruba); Ubamiogon (Benin); Otopoi, Otanta (Ibo Asaba).

Ilaro.

Landolphia Owariensis, var. rubiginosa.

Found Anwai River, Asaba district.

Landolphia Owariensis. White Vine Rubber. Ibo tabong (Yoruba); Ubamiogon, Ubgo (Benin); Otta farfridi (Ibo Asaba).

Found Benin City and Mamu.

Landolphia Senegalense. Ibo akitipa (Yoruba).

It is found in the Oyo province of Nigeria, and it is supposed to be one of the sources of vine rubber.

Landolphia Thompsonii (Chev.). Corrugated-fruited Rubber. Ibogidi (Yoruba); Ugbamiogun (Benin).

Abeokuta, Benin and Calabar provinces of Nigeria.

A vine growing abundantly throughout the rain and fringing forests. It has white flowers with yellow centres and a bright-yellow edible fruit. No rubber is obtained from it, but only a pasty mass from the latex.

Landolphia Petersiana. Large-fruited Landolphia.

Found in the Oban Reserve and Benin province.

Landolphia bracteata. Autopoi (Ibo Asaba).

Found at Idanre, Anwai, Asaba district.

Carpodinus hirsuta (Stapf.), var. djenge. Flake or Paste Rubber, Root Rubber, Brown Cluster, or Brown Medium. Ibo Ilecki (Yoruba); Uboto, Obo, Ubanakwi, Ake, Abache (Benin).

It is found in the Onitsha, Benin and Warri provinces of Nigeria. It has a mauve-coloured flower with a musk-like scent.

The rubber was bought near the Niger until the vines from which it was taken were destroyed.

Carpodinus Barteri, syn. Clitandra Barteri. Mauve-flowered Vine Rubber. Ibo (Yoruba); Akhe (Benin); Akwarri, Offonkwari (Ibo Asaba).

Anwai River.

Carpodinus fulva. Pear-shape-fruited Rubber. Ikwian (Benin).

Found in the Asaba district, Benin province.

Clitandra elastica. Brown Medium Rubber. Ubabikpan (Benin); Beckindanko (Hausa).

Benin province.

A vine of the dry zone, found in the Okwoga district and at Adani in Awka district. It also yields root rubber.

It yields a good rubber, sold on the Niger for 1s. 3d. to 1s. 6d. per pound (1911). Extracted by tapping and coagulated by boiling, also with salt.

Clitandra visciflua (Hall. Fil.). Ubake (Benin).

Found in the Benin province.

Clitandra Togolana (Hall). Ibo, Agba (Benin).

It is a large tree, up to 60 feet high (?). Olokemeji.

Clitandra cirrhosa. Oban Rubber.

This is one of the commoner vines of the Oban Forest Reserve. In recent years, owing to the low price of rubber, it has not been tapped to any extent. The cost of collection to the natives is rather high, with the extended preparations and amount of food they must take with them in this forest. Added to this there is the cost of the licence and the cost of taking it over the long distance to the market, so that they do not think it pays to collect this rubber.

Rauwolfia vomitoria (Afzel). Swizzle-stick. Iraigbo, Asofeyeje (Yoruba); Akata (Benin).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ondo, Benin, Warri, Owerri and Calabar provinces of Nigeria, in the evergreen and mixed deciduous zone, where it is very prevalent.

It is a small tree of 12 feet in height and 18 inches in girth, with almost always four branchlets to each branch, forming regular whorls in this manner. It has a soft, thin leaf and a round, small green fruit. The stem is usually forked near the ground, and each side branch is forked again and the uppermost branches divided into four separate twigs, making thus a most convenient shape for a swizzle- stick. The stem is more or less dotted with a few white lenticels. The bark peels off very readily and cleanly with a knife, leaving the bare white stem, especially in the smaller branches.

The wood of the smaller branches is soft, showing a small pith in the centre, but that of the stem in the larger specimens is comparatively hard, and more like an inferior type of boxwood. The sapwood is usually a little softer than the heartwood.

It is a moderately fast-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration is good. It sprouts well from the stump, and a certain number of root suckers appear. It stands pruning well.

The tree does not really reach a large enough size to yield export timber, or to be of much value for local use. It is, however, commonly used as a swizzle-stick.

In places where building timber is scarce, it is occasionally used in house-building. It could be, and sometimes is, used as a live fence.

Polyadoa umbellata (Stapf.). Oak or Boxwood. Aini (Egba); Erm (Yoruba); Osu (Benin).

It is a medium-sized tree which grows to a girth of 4 feet. The young stem is easily recognized by the longitudinal strips of lenticels, joined together with the dark-green cortex, showing between each strip. When older, lenticels appear on the stem and it may be quite grey or white.

The wood is a dirty yellow colour and very hard, resembling box in the fineness and the hardness of its grain. It is used by the natives for making combs for the hair; these combs have six prongs about 6 inches long and are sold at 6d. to 1s. apiece. It is used for house-building, and is considered the most durable timber for this purpose; it is forked about 15 to 20 feet from the ground. The bark is used medicinally by the natives (Yorubas).

The leaves are a yellowish-green, gradually turning a rich dark-green. The small greengage-sized fruits appear in pairs at the ends of the shoots, and occasionally in threes, but this is rare.

It likes moist ground, though it will stand a long dry season, so long as it has the shade of other trees. It is a distinct shade-bearer, though it grows a fair height when it has a chance. The flowers are white and have a very pleasant smell.

Only a very small quantity of latex exudes when the tree is cut, and so does not give the impression of belonging to the rubber family of Apocynaceæ.

The sapwood is a similar colour to the heartwood. It is not always straight, but this is owing to its slow growth causing it to be amongst the dominated trees. In older trees the stem is usually quite white, except where the bark has been removed.

A sample was sent to England in 1914 and was said to be valueless as a substitute for boxwood. In 1906 samples were shipped to Liverpool, where it was sold as a species of oak at 1s. 9d. per cubic foot, but it was not considered as good as that obtained from Awaw, Eba, Lophira procera or Ostryoderris impressa.

Native Use.—The chief tree for all tool-handles and house-posts. The most durable kinds are in Egba, and they are not attacked by white ants.

Alafia Landolphioides. Ubamiagon (Benin); Ata frifridi (Ibo Asaba).

Found at Illushi, Asaba district, Oke Igbo, Ilesha district.

Carissa edulis.

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. The fruit is edible.

Motandra Guineensis (A. D.C.). Bodekadun (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

It has not been used for making rubber.

Strophanthus Preussii. Elephant Poison. Isha gere, Isha kekere (Yoruba).

Found in the Shagamu, Lagos and Calabar districts.

A climbing shrub, attaining the height of 12 feet. The flowers are creamy in colour, deepening to orange, with purple spots and streaks.

Strophanthus hispidus (A. D.C.). Isha fere (Yoruba).

Found in the Ilesha district, Oyo province.

Holarrhena Wulfsbergii (Stapf.). The Male Rubber Tree or False Rubber Tree, according to the Yorubas, or sometimes known as the False Ireh Tree. Ireh-ibeji, Ireh-ako, Ako-ireh (Yoruba).

This tree being found in the Abeokuta and Oyo provinces of Nigeria, it is not very prevalent, nor does it grow in large numbers in any one place. With its smooth, dark-green bark, speckled irregularly all over with white spots and lenticels, it is easily distinguishable from the almost silver-white or grey beech-like stem of the true West African Rubber Tree.

At a height varying from 10 to 15 feet the bole sometimes divides and forms two very straight stems, one much smaller than the other. In the African Rubber Tree (Funtumia elastica) usually only one stem is formed.

Again, in its sparse and rather drooping foliage it is very different from the real rubber-tree. The leaves are much longer, more sharply pointed, and in fact more lanceolate than those of F. elastica. The foliage often gives the appearance of being withered or that the tree is drying up.

Large raceme-like masses of small flowers appear in February or March, which are much more prominent than those of F. elastica, these being more hidden among the leaves, although individually having larger blossoms. Later on, a thin round pod, nearly 2 feet in length, forms in pairs, which hang down and make the tree look most grotesque. On the other hand, F. elastica pods are stout and short and almost hidden by the foliage.

The tree reaches a girth of 36 inches and a total height of about 50 feet.

The slash is greenish-white, and a very little white, rather watery latex exudes from the cut. The wood is white, soft, planes easily, and splits comparatively easily. It saws fairly well and takes nails with comparative ease. It is not termite-proof.

It is a moderately fast-growing tree of a light-loving nature. Natural reproduction by seed appears to be fair. It sprouts slightly from the stump.

Being found in odd and poor places in the mixed deciduous forests at the edge of dry-zone vegetation, it should prove useful for temporary house-building purposes and for cutting up as cratewood for bananas, etc.

Pleiocerus Barteri (Baill.). Irena, kekere (Yoruba).

The fruit is very much like a Cola and fairly common in the forest. It is very sticky to the taste.

It is a medium-sized tree, in habit similar to the Cola-tree, and most people would classify it from its external appearance as a species of Cola.

It is found in the Benin and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

Picralima Klaineana?. Agege (Yoruba).

Found at Agege, Yoruba country.

Oncinotis gracilis. Ornamental Rubber Vine. Allerle (Benin).

Found in Ogodo Dry-zone Forest.

Name unknown. Ikwian (Benin).

An uncommon tree of the Benin province of Nigeria. It attains a medium-size and bears large fruits. The wood is used as firewood.

=Borraginaceæ.=

Ehretia cymosa (S. and H.). Ija oke (Yoruba).

Found in the Olokemeji.

Cordia sp., ? Platythyrsa. Drum-wood Cordia. Ako Ledo (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

Cordia Irvingii. Acorn-like-fruited Cordia.

It is a medium-sized tree, similar to Cordia Millenii. It is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria.

Cordia Millenii. Omon or Omo (Yoruba); Omah (Benin).

This tree is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ondo, Benin, Owerri, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria.

It is an irregularly shaped tree, often with more than one stem. The light-coloured bark, especially when it is scaly, often gives the impression that the tree is luminous at night. The leaf is large. It is a common tree in the Benin district, of medium-size.

It yields a softwood, which has a certain amount of resonance. The sapwood is white and the heartwood a mid-brown colour. It is not very durable, except under cover.

It stands a good deal of shade. It sprouts well from the stump. It bears fruit irregularly, and seedlings are scarce in the forest. The wood has not been exported, and none of its qualities so far assure it of finding a good market in Europe.

Native Use.—The natives use the wood for making drums.

To face p. 396.

=Verbenaceæ.=

Avicennia Africana. White Mangrove. Ogbun (Lagos); Ede, Eyhrodo (Benin); Odonumon (Efik).

It is found in the Colony, Ondo, Warri, Owerri and Calabar provinces of Nigeria. It is seen partly in pure groups, and also mixed more or less in groups with the other areas of Red Mangrove and Laguncularia sp.

It is a small tree, growing up to 2 feet girth and about 40 feet high.

The bole appears silvery grey and the branches very slender. The leaves are of a lighter green than those of the Red Mangrove. The aerial roots are smaller and not so extended as in the case of Racemosa. On the whole, it occurs in the quieter and less exposed localities, away from the sea, and it seems to appear only secondary to R. racemosa, which is the first tree to appear in the mangrove formation. The slash is white; the cortex is thin.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood a light brown when freshly cut. Is moderately hard, and durable when dry and used away from water. It is termite-proof. In structure it is similar to teak, being a member of the same family, but the grain is more open and the pores are considerably larger and longer, giving the wood a more open texture. It planes up with a smooth surface, splits well, takes nails moderately well and saws easily.

It is a somewhat slow-growing, at first shade-bearing, and later on a light-demanding tree. Natural regeneration is good, but it does not appear to be extending as fast as R. racemosa. It sprouts from the stump; root suckers and aerial root shoots grow in considerable numbers. On the whole, it tends to die out sooner when the ground becomes dryer than R. racemosa, and its area of distribution from the coast inland is much less wide.

The timber has not been exported, nor has it been sawn up for local use. For the natives this tree forms what is considered the best “salt bush” in the Jekri country. It is still used for the manufacture of salt, which is considered much stronger than and superior to imported salt. It is also used for poles, house-building, boat and canoe houses and wharves.

Vitex grandifolia. Ori (Yoruba); Owenkundignon, Oriri Ogikiomi (?) (Benin).

It is found in the Benin, Onitsha, Owerri and Ogoja provinces, in the open deciduous forest zone.

The digitate leaf is much larger than that of V. Cienkowski, and on the whole the tree is larger too, reaching a girth of 10 feet and a bole length of 30 feet. The fruit is rather larger, but similar in shape and taste to the former. The branches are very persistent, and coming out more or less in whorls from the bole, give the tree a most distinct appearance.

The sapwood is white and the heartwood at first light-brown, and then darker brown. It is rather more open-grained than the teak. It does not split very well, but can take nails; neither does it plane easily, but can be worked up to a smooth finish. It is very durable and termite-proof.

At first fast growing and later rather slower, it is on the whole a little faster growing than V. Cienkowski. It withstands the fires in an extraordinary manner, and only occasionally does the bole get so deeply burnt that the tree becomes hollow. It bears a large crop of fruit almost every year.

The timber has not been exported, nor has it been sawn up for local use. It deserves further attention than it has received up to the present, more especially as it is of the same family as the teak.

Native Use.—The fruit is eaten, and occasionally the smaller trees are used for house-building.

Vitex Cienkowskii. Ori, nla (Yoruba).

It is a medium-sized tree, attaining a girth of about 8 feet and a bole length of about 25 feet. The bark is rough, divided up with long, narrow vertical fissures, which are more or less regular in their distribution. The crown is spherical, somewhat widespreading, and usually occupies about half the height of the tree. The large, shiny, dark-green digitate leaf is most characteristic of the tree. The fruit, not unlike a large acorn without the cup, is edible and has a slight honey taste. It attracts the bees from far and near.

This tree is found in the Oyo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

Timber.—Hard, brown wood, very similar to teak. It is often rather knotty and sometimes cross-grained.

At first fairly fast-growing, later on it is rather slow. It is very fire-resisting, but does not thoroughly protect the soil. It has not been felled for export, nor has it been sawn up for local use. It serves a useful purpose amongst the dry-zone vegetation, and is one of the larger trees of that zone.

Vitex Fosteri. Ori-eta (Yoruba); Obuban, Ibang (Benin); Ogi (Calabar).

Chief Characteristics.—It is a medium-sized tree with thin, white bark and voluted stem, which is not overstraight beyond 15 or 20 feet, soft and fibrous; one of the common trees in the mixed forest, though also found in the evergreen forest. It has a thin, digitate leaf. It usually stands as one of the dominated trees in either forest. The leaves often look silvery, but this is an optical illusion, owing to their being so thin and white on the underside.

Distribution.—It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Jebu, Ode, Benin and Calabar provinces of Nigeria.

Timber.—It is a hard, white wood of even texture and smooth grain, which is apparently durable for interior work. It is somewhat like hornbeam, though not quite so hard. It works up with a smooth surface.

Silvicultural Qualities.—It is a shade-bearer, though, if planted pure, it is doubtful whether its foliage would thoroughly protect the ground, owing to its being so thin. Natural regeneration by seed is apparently good.

Use.—It would probably make good verandah-posts, door-frames and window-frames, but so far has not been tried. As there is plenty of it, proper supplies could be obtained in the provinces named.

Value.—At present doubtful, as it is an untried wood; however, belonging to the same family as teak, it should find a place amongst the valuable small timbers for local use.

Vitex diversifolia.

It has been noted from the Oban Reserve.

Clerodendron Thonningii. Egwa, Oriakuku (Benin).

It is an ornamental shrub of the Benin province of Nigeria, found near the Osse River.

Clerodendron Thompsonii. Egwa oviakuku (Benin).

A medium-sized shrub with woody stem found in the Benin province.

Clerodendron scandens (Beauv.).

It is a large shrub with hard wood of the Benin province of Nigeria.

Clerodendron volubile. Ebenote (Benin).

Found in the Benin province.

Clerodendron splendens (Kew). Adabi (Yoruba).

A medium-sized shrub found in the Abeokuta province. The stem yields small wood for farm implements.

=Labiatæ.=

Ocimum viride (Willd.). Efinrin (Yoruba); Aramoho (Benin).

Found in the Yoruba and Benin country.

=Scrophulariaceæ.=

Cycinium camporum (Engl.). Arojoku (Yoruba).

Flowers white. Found at Obba on the Hill, Ondo province.

=Bignoniaceæ.=

Spathoidea campanulata. Red Tulip Tree. Oruru (Yoruba); Okokwi Okwekwe (Benin); Essenim (Efik); Osukaregigi (Bembi).

This tree grows in the fringing and intermediate forests. It is of medium size and has large trumpet-shaped flowers, not unlike those of the tulip.

Uses.—This tree is often used for ornamental purposes. Timber, edible seeds and medicaments are obtained from it.

Stereospermum acuminatissimum. Osualong (seed), Okwekwe, Aguana (Benin).

This is a somewhat common tree of the Benin province of Nigeria, and certainly with its red flowers it is one of the most handsome. It is not unlike the so-called African Tulip Tree, Spathoidea campanulata. On the whole, it is a smaller tree, with a round, almost spherical crown; the wood is soft and white and not durable. It bears a large number of seeds, but few appear to germinate. It sprouts feebly from the stump, is a light-loving tree, and also a soil-protecting and soil-improving species. It deserves greater attention for planting in gardens and at the edges of recreation grounds of all sorts.

Stereospermum Kunthianum (Cham.). Ayagdo (Yoruba).

This tree is found in the Abeokuta province and Erin, Ilesha. It is very similar to the tulip-tree, but has a more orange-coloured flower.

Kigelia Africana. Sausage Tree. Orora, Pandoro (Yoruba); Ogiahimi, Esiskwi (Benin).

It is a common tree of the Ogoja, Owerri, Onitsha, Benin, Ondu, Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. The most typical feature of this tree is the long sausage-shaped fruit, which hangs by a stalk about 10 inches long; the flowers are red, the leaves large and open. It is a small tree, often very much branched. It is usually found in old clearings at the edge of the mixed deciduous forest. The wood is not durable. The natives use it for fences, and the roots are mashed and used by Benis for cuts in the fingers. The bark and fruit are also used medicinally by the Yorubas.

Markhamia tomentosa. Iru, Aya, Iwe (Yoruba).

It is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria, in the mixed deciduous forest zone.

It is a tree 4 to 6 feet in girth, with a large leaf having five pairs of pinnæ, the lowest being very small, like stipules. A deciduous tree bearing small fruit. A very common tree.

The timber is a soft, white wood, which is not used. It is attacked by white ants, and is not durable except under cover.

The tree is a light-lover, quick-growing, and non-soil-improving. Natural regeneration is moderate, so that it does not spread too much. The tree has not been felled for export timber, nor has it been cut for local use.

Newbouldia lævis. Benin Ju-ju Tree. Akkoko (Yoruba); Ikhimi (Benin).

It is found in the Calabar, Ogoja, Owerri, Warri, Onitsha, Ondo, Benin, Ibadan and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria.

It is a small tree, scarcely exceeding 4 feet in girth. It has a large, oblong, dark leaf. It is most commonly seen in the middle of a compound with a pot at the base of it. The flowers are trumpet-shaped, white-coloured at the base and rose-red at the mouth. The fruit is a long, thin black pod, which opens releasing many flat, winged seeds. The seed is yellow and in the middle of the wing.

The timber is white and soft.

It has not been exported or cut for local use.

Native Use.—The tree is used to mark boundaries. It is a “Ju-ju” tree, both in and outside the compound. It is sometimes used for fences. It is used by the Yorubas for rafters.

=Acanthaceæ.=

Thunbergia Vogeliana (Benth.). Blue Benin Thunbergia. Ohwohiro (Benin).

This is a shrub with handsome blue flowers; it is moderately common in the Central Circle.

=Rubiaceæ.=

Sarcocephalus eu-esculentus. Sierra Leone Peach. Egbesi (Yoruba); Aragbaihi (Benin); Amellaky or Egbessye of Sierra Leone.

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Benin, Onitsha, Owerri and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, where it is common in the open deciduous forest.

In habit it usually takes more of the shape and form of a shrub rather than a tree, though where it is protected a longish main leader grows up, but even this droops. It rarely attains a height of more than 15 feet and a girth at the base of about 18 inches. The leaf is large and oval, opposite, and rather leathery to the touch. The fruit is not unlike a peach, except that its surface is not smooth, but is pitted in small depressions, giving it a more special peach colour. The flesh is very woody and tough, interspersed with small seeds not unlike those of the strawberry. When ripe the birds eat them. The roots are of a yellowish-brown, especially when the cortex is rubbed. The slash is yellow. The leaf is very shiny.

It does not really reach timber size, but the sapwood is a light yellow and the heartwood a darker yellow.

It is a moderately quick growing, light-demanding, soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration is poor, but reproduction by root suckers and stool shoots is very strong. It is very fire- resisting, and recovers easily from any effects of fire.

Native Use.—In cases of scarcity of building-timber, occasionally short sections are obtained from it for hut-building. It is, however, usually too short. The roots are used medicinally in the following way: roots about a ¼ inch in diameter and upwards to ¾ inch are thoroughly washed in water and cut up into sections of about 4 inches long and boiled in water. The solution thus made is strained off, and is drunk either hot or cold in fairly large doses for the relief of venereal disease (G.) in its earlier stages. Most of the natives affirm that it gives great relief, though they acknowledge that it does not prove a cure for it.

Sarcocephalus esculentus. Weatherboard Wood. Opepe (Yoruba); Obiache (Benin); Awessu (Jekri).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin and Calabar provinces of Nigeria, where in certain localities it is very prevalent.

It is a large tree of the evergreen forest zone, which attains a girth of 12 feet and a corresponding bole length. The bark is slightly rough and scaly, but in an even manner. It bears a large edible fruit 2 inches in diameter. The fruit is not unlike a peach in shape and colour, but with a rougher and softer skin. It is very closely and finely pitted with tiny holes in its surface. Inside, the flesh is pinkish-white. It is commonly seen at the edge of freshwater swamps in the Benin, Ifon and Ondo districts. It likes soil with good drainage, but it may be very moist.

The bole is very straight, and not unlike that of real African Oak in appearance. The leaves are rounded and moderately large, and inclined to be leathery in texture, with two stipules at the base. In the young seedlings the stem is more quadrangular in shape than round, and there are a few almost straighter furrows running vertically up it.

It tends to spread with the opening up of the evergreen forest. The root spurns are very slight and round, merging into the stem a foot or so above the ground. The slash is yellowish-white, and a rather dirty colour. Mucilage-like latex gradually exudes from the cut.

Timber.—The wood is very durable indeed, both for exposed places and for interior work. It is moderately hard, a little open and fibrous in grain, of a yellow to orange colour, with slight variations in its distribution through the wood. It planes well and saws easily; splits fairly well, takes nails, and does not warp or shrink very much. There is only a slight difference in colour between the sapwood and heartwood, but the sapwood is not quite so durable. It is termite- proof. It is usually very straight-grained, free of knots and other internal defects—in fact, it is one of the cleanest of all the African timbers.

It is a very fast-growing, at first slightly shade-bearing and later light-loving tree, which thoroughly protects and enriches the soil with its leaf fall. In fact, after the first two years it is very impatient of shade, and grows very slowly, if it is at all under large trees. In suitable places natural regeneration is very good. Fair crops of seeds are borne almost every year. In some places, notably north of the Ikoha in the Benin province, it is almost gregarious in habit. It sprouts well from the stump. Here again, unless there is sufficient light, it does not grow rapidly, and even tends to die down. In the nursery, seeds generate readily, but often fall a prey to the Duika, which eat the young seedlings. The tree does not stand transplanting very well, as it throws back its development very considerably. Small plantations have been made in one or two places. Close planting appears to be the correct method, as the branches are rather persistent and liable to form knots or places of decay in the stem, if they do not drop off when they are quite small.

In 1906 samples of this timber were sold as a hardwood in Liverpool market, where it was considered to show little or no merit. However, since that date there have been increased demands for all good timbers, so that it seems worthy of a further trial. Locally it has been used for making canoes, or has been cut up for planks. It has also been used for bridge-building and other constructional work, and being one of the most durable, ever wider use is being found for it, quite apart from any likely demands for export.

Native Use.—It is felled for sawing up into planks and making canoes, and is considered one of the best of all local timbers, except Iroko.

Sarcocephalus sambucinus (?). Yellow Wood. Opepe (Yoruba); Ebengiku, Obiache (Benin); Eben (Jekri).

It is found in the Ondo, Benin and Warri provinces of Nigeria.

It is a medium-sized tree of the swamps, both near rivers and near the sea coast—in fact, it will grow in waterlogged places—whereas the Sarcocephalus esculentus, to attain large dimensions, likes drained soil.

The fruit is only an inch in diameter, but of the same colour as the former. The pitting of the surface is more widely distributed and the pits are shallower. The bark is less scaly, with a very slight roughness or fissured surface. The wood is not so durable as the former, especially in exposed places. On the whole, the leaves are larger than S. esculentus and a little thinner.

The sapwood is whitish-yellow and the heartwood of a deep yellow colour. It is more fibrous and rather more open-grained than that of S. esculentus. The pores, too, are longer. On the whole, it is easier to work, a little softer, planes well, takes nails, splits well and saws easily. It is doubtful if it is termite-proof.

Although really a light-loving tree, it can stand more lateral shade than S. esculentus. It is a thoroughly soil-protecting and soil- improving tree, the foliage making a very rich humus. It is much more slow-growing than S. esculentus, though on the whole it will stand closer together, and yet grow well. It sprouts well from the stump. Natural regeneration appears to be good. It is sometimes almost gregarious in habit, and in some places one of the few valuable trees in the swamp region. It is also often one of the few of merchantable size. No plantations have been made with this tree.

In 1906 samples of this timber were sold in the Liverpool market as cedar, but it was only considered of poor quality. It deserves, however, further trial now. Locally it is occasionally sawn up for planks.

Native Use.—It is sometimes used for making canoes, but it is not liked by the natives, because they say it is not so durable as S. esculentus.

Sarcocephalus sp. Swamp Opepe. Oppepera (Yoruba); Eben Obiache (Benin). Perhaps the same as the foregoing species.

Morinda sp. Brimstone Wood.

Ekiti district, Ondo province.

Morinda lucida. Brimstone Wood. Oruwo (Yoruba); Obiache (Benin).

Found in the Yoruba and Benin country.

Morinda longiflora. Ekiti Morinda.

Found in the Ekiti district, Mamu Reserve.

Pausinystalia sp.

It is found in the Eastern Calabar province of Nigeria. It is a medium-sized tree found growing in old farms. It has globular-shaped flowers with yellowish-red anthers, making it very pretty and conspicuous. It has a hard, yellowish-white wood.

Saccoglottis Gabunensis. Mahogany, Tala. Ugu (Benin); Attalla (Jekri); Edat (Efik); Tala (Brass); Tala (New Calabar); Edat (Oban, Ekoi).

It is a large tree, attaining a girth of 15 feet and a height of 150 feet. Nearly always found on swampy ground, or anyhow where the rainfall is high, as, for instance, in the Oban district. One of the first trees to be seen in the forest immediately behind the mangrove swamps. The bark is roughly fissured like elm, but more regularly, and the slash is red. The fruit is an indehiscent nut with small nodules on it, about the size of a walnut, which exudes a liquid not unlike honey. Bees often frequent the tree for that reason. A reddish sap exudes when the tree is cut.

It is found in the Benin, Warri, Owerri and Calabar provinces of Nigeria.

The wood is hard and dark-red, with a fairly close grain, though easy to work. The sapwood is usually very narrow and yellowish-red.

It is evidently a shade-bearer, and stands a good deal of shade in its youth. Natural regeneration is fairly good where the rainfall is high. It seems a moderately fast grower, though no actual measurements have yet been taken. It is almost gregarious, especially in Oban. In 1906 it was valued in the Liverpool market at 3d. to 6d. a superficial foot as a mahogany of mild texture and fairly good colour. It has, however, not been used by the Public Works Department.

Native Use.—In the Benin, Warri and Calabar provinces the bark is stripped off in rolls about 3 feet long and sold for making gin bitter, by placing it in the liquid. A bundle of bark is sold for 5s. at Calabar. In the Degema and Brass districts it is one of the common canoe trees.

Mitragyne macrophyllum. False Opepe. Burokossa, Bulokossa, Ugbodokossa (Benin); Ebar (Brass); Ebar (New Calabar); Ubuen (Efik).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Warri, Owerri and Calabar provinces of Nigeria.

It is a large tree, attaining a girth of over 12 feet and a height of over 100 feet. It has a very large leaf. The tree is often more or less gregarious, more especially in the moister or almost swampy parts of the evergreen forest zone. The bark is of a dull-green colour, comparatively thin, and only slightly fissured in a large tree.

The sapwood is yellowish-white and the heartwood of a pale yellow colour. It is almost a hardwood, does not split well, planes up smoothly and saws comparatively easily. It hardens considerably on seasoning and is very durable under cover, but not so much on exposure to the air. The dense foliage makes a thick layer of humus under the trees, as a few of the leaves fall off each year. It is thus a soil- improving and soil-protecting tree. It would probably be found to make a good mixture, in groups of about half an acre in extent, with mahogany in the evergreen forest zone. In the Brass district it is one of the commonest trees which is used for making canoes; it has also occasionally been sawn up for planks. It has not yet been exported to England, but at any rate locally it should command a wider use in house-building of all kinds.

Mitragyne Africanum. Akpakossa (Benin).

It is found in the Benin, Ondo, Warri and Calabar provinces of Nigeria.

It is a somewhat common tree on the borderland of the mixed deciduous forest and the dry-zone vegetation. The tree is of small size, attaining a girth of about 6 feet and a bole length of 25 feet; the leaf is very large, but does not reach the size of M. macrophyllum. It is most frequently found in the swampy places at the edge of the deciduous forest; like the sister tree, it is more or less gregarious, though the groups are usually not very large.

The timber is of a dull yellowish-white colour, and planes well; it does not split very easily and is very durable.

This species is a shade-bearing tree of soil-protecting and soil- improving qualities, owing to the dense bed of leaves, which in turn makes a bed of humus at the base of the tree, and thus grass-fires are very much hindered in spreading. The timber has not been exported to Europe and the natives scarcely ever use this wood.

Randia malleifera. Buje nla (Yoruba).

Found in the Olokemeji Reserve.

Randia octomera (Hook.). Buje (Yoruba); Assun (Benin).

It is found in the Benin province. It is a shrub with spherical-shaped fruit like an apple, with the sepals projecting from the top. The fruits yield a black dye which is used by the natives.

Randia cladantha (K. Sch.).

It is found in the Benin province of Nigeria. It is a woody shrub having a hard wood, and rather pretty red flowers in the autumn, which brighten the evergreen forest very much.

Randia maculata (Kew). Buje, Buji dudu (Yoruba).

A shrub having large, trumpet-shaped flowers. It is very ornamental.

Randia caudata. Blue Dye. Buje (Yoruba).

It is a small tree, 15 to 20 feet high. Found in the Olokemeji Reserve.

Randia macrantha. Kan Kan (Yoruba).

Found in the Ondo province.

Nr. Randia. Ukape (Benin).

Found in the Benin province.

Mussænda erythrophylla (Sch. and Thonn.). Kamatete (Ibo, Owerri).

Found in Obudu, Ogoja province.

Mussænda tenuiflora (Benth.). Mamu (Yoruba).

Found in the Mamu Reserve.

Mussænda Isertiana. Igi Ira (Lagos) (Benin).

Lagos.

Pavetta Baconia (Hiern). Idofun, Igbo (Yoruba); Akapano Iyokheze (Benin).

It is a common tree in the Calabar, Warri, Benin, Ondo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. A small, shrub-like tree, reaching about 3 inches in diameter, most common as an undergrowth plant in the evergreen forest zone. Many specimens are found in the Obagie Forest Reserve. It stands the shade well, is moderately hard, and sprouts well from the stump. The natives of the Benin country cut young specimens very largely for use as yam-sticks.

Hymenodictyon bracteatum. Obadon (Benin).

Found in the Benin province of Nigeria.

Corynanthe paniculata (Welw.). Olikiba Anikiba (Benin).

So far it has been found in the Benin province of Nigeria, but either this species or Johimbe should be found in the Calabar and Ogoja provinces.

It is a medium-sized tree of the mixed forest zone, which is moderately prevalent in certain localities.

The timber is brown, hard and durable. It planes well and splits moderately well. It takes nails and saws moderately easily for hard wood. It is considered termite-proof by the natives.

It is a somewhat slow-growing tree, a shade-bearer, a soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration only appears to be slight. It does not sprout very prolifically from the stump. No experimental plantations have yet been made.

This is a sister species to C. Johimbe, which yields the bark containing the very useful alkaloid Johimbin, but as yet the bark of this tree has not been tested for a similar substance.

In the timber report of 1906 it is valued at 2½d. to 3½d. a foot as a species of gummy mahogany, and in another case as fancy wood at 1d. per superficial foot or 1s. 6d. to 1s. 9d. a cubic foot.

Amongst the Benin natives it is used for wall-plates, for which purpose it is highly esteemed.

Crossopteryx Kotschyana. Ayeye (Yoruba).

A small tree found in the dry-zone forests, of no special value. The fruit is leathery; the flowers grow in panicles.

Native Use.—Parts of the tree are used in medicine by the natives.

Sabicea calycina (Benth.). Agan Aparo (Yoruba).

Found in Iro.

Canthium glabriflorum (Hiern). Attan (Benin).

It is a common tree in the Calabar, Ogoja, Warri, Benin and Ondo provinces of Nigeria, also in the Cameroons.

It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a girth of 9 feet, but with a bole length of about 60 feet, rather longer in proportion to the girth. The flat, wide crown is typical of this tree, as are also the large tripinnate leaves and the brown, stringy bark with slight fissures. The branches spread out almost in two or three whorls near the top of the tree. The light can be seen through the crown. The flower is white, in large, umbel-like masses of small flowers, borne on the upper side of the branches. It flowers in November.

The sapwood is white and fairly broad and the heartwood is brown, like cedar. Termites attack in the open.

It is a light-lover and grows quickly, in old farms especially. It sprouts well from the stump, but there are no root shoots. Seed production is good, and seedlings appear in near open spaces.

It has not been cut for local use or exported to Europe.

The branch is used. It has to be placed on a boy’s head and is said to make him grow. The boys do it themselves in the Benin country. The wood is also a firewood in Benin.

To face p. 408.

=Compositæ.=

Vernonia conferta. Big-leaf African Cabbage Tree. Onimagugun, Shapo (Yoruba); Orimagugu, Oriweni, Onamagungun (Benin).

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Benin, Onitsha and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, in clearings at the edge of the mixed deciduous and dry-zone forests. It is a very common small tree or large shrub, springing up in all old farms. The very large bright-green leaves, set opposite to each other on a small, comparatively, stout, green, succulent stem, are most typical of this plant. The fresh leaf, especially on the smaller plants, is not unlike a very open cabbage leaf, but of a lighter green hue. As the plant gets older the leaves do not attain such a size. The flowers are small, but grow on large, open and much-branched spikes. The stem is comparatively soft and pithy, scarcely forming a real woody tissue. When dried they can be used for firewood and kindle easily. Occasionally it is used for making live fences.

Vernonia Nigritana (O. and H.). Bitter Leaf. Ewuru or Oko (Yoruba); Ihagobo (Benin).

This is found in the upper part of the Benin province of Nigeria, near Sabongida, in the deciduous zone. A small shrub-like tree, the leaves of which are used for soup. The dried stem is used for kindling wood. The roots are sometimes used as chew-sticks.

Vernonia amygdalina. (Del.). The Bitter Leaf. Ewuru (Yoruba), Oriwu (Benin).

Yoruba Chew-stick, also known as the Chew-stick of Ewuro, thereby clearly showing the Yoruba origin of some of the inhabitants of Sierra Leone, as Ewuro is also the name of it in the Sierra Leone country.

It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan and Benin provinces, where it grows in openings in the mixed forests.

It is a small shrub, reaching a height of about 5 feet, having soft leaves, with rather a greyish tint, which are covered with very fine silvery hairs. It is commonly found in old farms and by the side of the roads, usually in small bushes or clumps.

It sprouts up when cut down, and thoroughly shades the ground. However, it is sometimes so thick that it rather hinders plantation operations, though once the other plants are established it acts as a useful little “nurse.” The leaves are picked off by the natives and cooked in water for making soup. They have a distinctly bitter flavour, but make a very healthy vegetable soup. The leaves are often sold in the local markets. This shrub is occasionally left more or less in line as a small living fence.

Vernonia cinerea (Les.). Ash-coloured Fleabane. Elegbe Oju (Yoruba).

It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. A large, woody shrub, one of the chewstick family, the leaves of which are sometimes used for making soup.

=Lycopodaceæ.=

Lycopodium phlegmaria (Linn.).

This is a small Lycopodium found in the Benin province of Nigeria. It was obtained from the uppermost branches of a very tall tree, growing at the edge of a deep valley about 8 miles north of Benin City.

NON-INDIGENOUS TREES OF NIGERIA

=Myrtaceæ.=

Eucalyptus amygdalina.

A specimen of this tree stands on the old beach at Akassa, Warri province.

Eucalyptus tereticornis.

Lagos Island.

Eucalyptus rudis.

Lagos Island.

Eucalyptus tesselaris.

Lagos Island.

Eucalyptus citriodora.

A specimen of this tree stands in the Botanical Gardens at Calabar.

NOTES ON NIGERIAN TREES OF WHICH THE BOTANICAL NAMES ARE NOT KNOWN

Itufiak or Etufiak (Efik). Essunwoi (Yoruba); Ilako (Benin).

It is a medium-sized tree of the freshwater swamps, with heavy dark- green foliage; it grows quite gregariously in stands of one to ten acres in extent. The trunk reaches a girth of about 7 feet and a bole length of about 30 feet. The roots spurns are comparatively slight, and do not extend much over a foot up the bole. The foliage is very heavy and it casts a most dense shade, making patches of this forest the darkest of almost any in Africa.

It is common on the banks of the Itunkpe Creek, a tributary of the Kwa River, near Calabar, in the same named province, and also in the Owerri province of Nigeria. It belongs to the evergreen forest zone.

The timber is a reddish-brown hardwood of close grain, which would saw into sizeable planks. It is a somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. The leaves yield a thick bed of humus. It appears to be one of the most valuable trees in this respect. It is moderately hard, with even, close-textured grain. It planes well, saws fairly easily, takes nails, but does not split well. Natural regeneration appears to be good. It also sprouts from the stump.

The timber has not been exported, nor has it been cut for planks for local use. It appears to deserve a trial as a local timber for floor- boards or for the making of boxes. Considering that so often many trees are found in the same place, it should not be difficult to obtain adequate supplies.

Native Use.—Building, but it is attacked by the insect called Efiak.

Musk Tree. Owi (Benin).

It is found in the Benin province of Nigeria, in the evergreen forests. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a girth of about 8 feet with a short bole of about 10 feet. The crown is large but rather elongated, and reaches down two-thirds of the height of the tree. The fruit is large and more like an avocado pear in shape and colour. The leaf is very large and wide, more like a teak leaf, but of stronger texture, the midrib especially being very thick.

The timber is hard, with white sapwood and green heartwood. It splits well and takes nails fairly well. It is a little fibrous in texture, but can be planed; it saws fairly easily.

It is a somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. The leaves make a rich humus. Natural regeneration is none too good. Stump sprouts do not appear to be very strong.

It has not been exported or cut for local use, but would be worth trying for house-building.

Native Use.—The fruit is kept for four days and then the inside large kernel is eaten. The young leaves are used for curing boils, as an external plaster to draw the poison.

Ekkiowa (Benin).

It is a small shrub which is found in the Benin district of the same named province. It is not very common.

Native Use.—The seed is used medicinally for the hands in case of sores which are red or raw.

Satinwood. Okwaba (Benin).

This tree is found in the mixed forests of the Benin province of Nigeria.

In 1906 sample logs of this timber were sold in the Liverpool market as satinwood, but were not considered worth shipping. Since then, however, none has been cut for export or for local use. Perhaps owing to the increased demands for all kinds of timber a further trial should be made with this one for satinwood. Natural regeneration is poor. It is a somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. It reaches a large size.

Ubellu, genus? Annamamilla (Benin).

It is found in the Benin province, Nigeria.

It is a small tree, the name often confused with the mahogany-walnut, Lovoa Klaineana, which is also sometimes known as Annamamilla in the Benin country. The leaves are imparipinnate. It is a softwood with light-brown heartwood and little black, spherically-shaped fruit, unarmed.

Native Use.—Firewood of good quality. Not used otherwise.

Big Hardwood. Arugbo (Yoruba); Eto (Benin).

It is a very large tree with a wide crown. The timber is of a brown colour, but the sapwood is white. It is extremely hard and durable; even when felled in the farms it will be six years before it has rotted away. The bark is a dark-green with white lenticels scattered over it.

It is rather a rare tree in the Benin province of Nigeria. Standing a good deal of shade, it is a soil improver and protector. Natural regeneration does not appear to be very plentiful.

It does not sprout up when coppiced.

Native Use.—None.

Ifon (Yoruba). Owehe (Benin).

Is a small tree which has scented wood. It reaches a girth of 20 inches only. Before going to market, according to the natives, the feet, hands and body should be washed with a solution prepared from the bark of this tree mixed with soap. The object of this operation is to effect quick sales at the market.

Ewayron (Yoruba).

A leaf for wrapping up food, found in the Yoruba country, also used in Benin for roofing houses.

Mahogany. Alode (Benin).

This tree is found in the mixed deciduous forests of the Benin province of Nigeria.

In 1906 samples of this timber were sold in the Liverpool market as a species of mahogany of a soft nature. Since that date none has been felled. Perhaps with the changed conditions with regard to the demand for all timbers similar to mahogany a further trial with the timber of this tree should be made. Natural regeneration is not very good. It is a rather slow-growing, soil-protecting and soil-improving tree.

Spiny Tree. Oaha (Benin).

It is a small tree found in the Benin, Ondo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. The small, rather thin and longish spines on the stem are the most typical feature of this tree. It usually grows with aerial roots. It reaches about 3 feet in girth, and on the whole is more common in the secondary forest than in the primeval. The wood is moderately durable, especially when used for inside work, such as verandah-posts.

Native Use.—It is sometimes used for small poles for hut-building.

House Post. Ewai (Benin).

A common tree in the Benin and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. It is a slow-growing tree which has a very hard brown wood; it is a shade- bearer. The seed is a small nut. The wood is used by the natives of Benin for building-posts, rafters and small planks.

It is found in the moist evergreen forest zone and is somewhat common in the Obagie Reserve of the Benin district.

Ussehin Chew-stick. Okuta (Yoruba); Okuta, Opahan (Benin).

It is rather a rare tree of the Benin, Ondo and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. The name means “a stone,” and has apparently been given because of the hardness of the wood. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a girth of about 5 feet. The wood is almost white, and there is little difference between sapwood and heartwood. In the Ussehin country of Benin it is used as a chew-stick. The Yoruba states that it is the hardest of all native woods.

Akpo (Benin). Hardwood.

It is rather an uncommon tree of the Benin province of Nigeria, also a very hard wood, a medium-sized tree. The brown heartwood is used by the natives for planks. It is thought rather highly of by the Benin natives, especially for wall-plates and joists. In the past it has been only hewn by them, but not sawn.

Ukpaigwi, Okpaigwi (Benin).

Rather an uncommon tree of the Benin province of Nigeria. It grows to 10 feet in girth and yields a soft wood which is attacked by white ants. It is a shade-bearer and soil-protecting tree. The roots are used by the natives for medicinal purposes.

Oruru (Benin).

It is a tree found in the Benin province of Nigeria.

It is a small tree, reaching a girth of 2 feet. After three years it comes up in an old farm. The slash is red and a little red sap exudes slowly. It is usual to find thirty small ones in one place, from root suckers, but also from stool shoots if a tree has been cut down before. It is similar to Eranpata in this respect. The fruit is round and small and like peas, only a little larger. The flower, which is white and quite small, grows in small clusters.

The wood is not hard and white all through. It is attacked by termites, except when placed in the house, where it is more or less protected.

Reproduction by stool shoot is the best method.

It is a shade-bearer and grows slowly. It grows in good soil of some depth and also in the evergreen forests. When it appears in old farms, it stands the fires well.

It is a soil-improving and soil-protecting tree, and tends to spread with the extension of cultivation, especially in the evergreen and mixed deciduous forest zone.

As it does not reach timber size, it is not worth trying as a building timber.

The fruit is edible; after eating it the tongue becomes almost of a blue colour. The root is used medicinally. The branches are used as pegs in the top of the walls of the houses in Benin, partly for fixing the roof.

To face p. 414.