Chapter IX: The Nigerian Timber Trees (6)

_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_.