Chapter IX: The Nigerian Timber Trees (4)

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.