144 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



Leaves simple and broad ; the small, white flowers are in 

 panicles a foot long. The wood is entirely like the V. 

 Cienkoioskii. 

 Avicennia Africana. Amu-ati (Ewe). 



A broad-spreading leafy tree from 39 to 48f feet in height, 

 and about 7 inches in diameter ; leaves dark green, the under- 

 side grey, and flowers a smudgy white. Its wood is used for 

 boat-building in Gabun, but little known elsewhere. It is 

 closely allied to the Avicennia officinalis of East Africa, 

 which has a beautiful, violet-coloured wood ; is very hard and 

 heavy. 



Bignoniacese. 



Spathodea campanulata. Adadase (Ewe) ; Gbetschigbetschi (Atak- 

 pame). 



A wonderful leafy tree, 97J feet in height, with wide- 

 spreading crown of foliage, and gre5dsh-green warty trunk. 

 In the flowering time the tree is a mass of crimson flowers — 

 a beautiful sight in the coast woods and on the hill slopes. 

 In Europe it goes by the name of tulip-tree. The buds are 

 filled with a sweet, watery fluid, which the children use as 

 squirts. The wood should be of great service, but does not 

 seem to be used. 



Newbouldia Icevis. Lifui (Ewe) ; Akinale (Tschandjo) ; Aboboe 

 (Atakpame). 



A medium-sized prairie tree, found plentifully also near the 

 villages, where the small branches are used as material for 

 fences. When the tree is young, it stands very erect, but later 

 the remarkably long branches bend to the ground. The flowers 

 are either rose-coloured, violet, or bright blue. The bright- 

 coloured wood is fairly heavy, uniform in texture, very similar 

 to the F. Cienkowskii. 



Markhamia tomentosa. Tschitschine (Atakpame). 



Appears to grow only among the mountains. The flowers 

 are yellow, with red stripes ; the leaves and husks both yelloAvish 

 brown. Children use the flower buds as playthings. The 

 wood is like that of the Newbouldia Icevis. 



Markhamia lutea. 



Usually found as a shrub, but occasionally to the height of 

 19| to 26 feet high, with rough or wartj', blackish bark, and 

 yellow flowers in great quantities. 



Stereospermum Kunthianum. Essobelia (Tschandjo) ; Eke-deka 

 (Atakpame). 



A small tree seldom found taller than 32| feet, a greenish- 

 grey bark, divested of leaves. When in bloom it has much the 



