26 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



close together, often entwined and joined to each other by various 

 large creepers, the whole forming an almost impenetrable grove, into 

 which only the diffused light of the sun reaches. The undergrowth 

 is not very thick, except where old trees have fallen or where mature 

 trees have been felled ; this is partly owing to the dense shade of 

 the tall trees, and therefore the trunks of these trees can be seen. 

 A large Cedar Mahogany 23 feet in circumference was seen. 

 This specimen of a mahogany was one of the largest trees found, 

 and shows to what size the trees attain in this peninsular forest. 

 One of the commonest trees found is the Red Ironwood, or sometimes 

 called in Sierra Leone Ironpost, botanically known as Lophira procera. 

 A picture of a large specimen of one of this species is shown as 

 illustration No. 2. Another very common tree is a species of Mimusops, 

 known as pearwood, or sometimes mahogany, when sold as timber. 

 The African Violetwood, sometimes known as Blackwood, is compara- 

 tively common. Rhodesian Mahogany, usually called Kontah, 

 botanically known as Afzelia Africana, is also found. Real African 

 Oak {Oldfieldia Africana) is seen singly scattered throughout forests. 

 A patch of true Gum Copal trees is found, as well as isolated specimens 

 in some parts of the forest. Rock Elm {Chlorophora excelsa) is seen 

 both in the forest and in the clearings made for farms. The Oil Palm 

 {Elaeis guineensis) is sparsely distributed in the forest, but more 

 frequent in the abandoned farms. The above-named trees are repre- 

 sentative of some of the very large number of hardwoods and other 

 trees of economic value in the forest. There are, however, also a 

 very large number of softwoods found scattered amongst the other 

 trees in the forest; a beautiful Whitewood {Alstonia Congensis) 

 is, for instance, one of such softwoods. The Cotton Tree {Eriodendron 

 anfrachiosum) is probably the one most commonly found. Various 

 Albizzias are also met with in a similar manner. 



II. Notes on Timber Trees, 



Taking now the different species of timber trees individually, the 

 following are most important : 



1. Real African Oak {Oldfieldia Africana), which is termed Tor- 

 torza by the Timanis and Paulai by the Mendis. As illustration 

 No. 5 shows, this is a very large and tall tree. It often attains a 

 bole length of 50 feet and a girth of 16 feet. It is found singly, 

 scattered through the forest. The habit of its branches, open 

 crown, and greyish bark make it look not unlike a European oak. 

 In reality the bark is scaly, gradually peeling off in flakes. The tree 

 in illustration No. 6 shows this characteristic peculiarity to advantage, 

 and also shows a medium-sized tree, approximately 10 feet in girth. 

 The tree fruits moderately, and has an indehiscent capsule not unlike 



