NIGERIA 213 



easily recognized by the fruits having four papery wings and the usually 

 whorled arrangement of the leaves. The Northern Nigerian species 

 have not all been fully determined, and the native names are at present 

 somewhat confused and may include more than one species. Most of 

 them in this region are shrubs or small trees, occasionally reaching 

 30 feet or so, with smooth or hoary foliage. The Taramniya is 

 generally C. leonense, Engl, and Diels ; the Chiriri of Sogoto includes 

 probably C. Hartmannianum, Schweinf., and other species ; the Dale 

 is C. glutinosum, Perr., or near it. 



Parinarium curatellcefoUum, Planch (Rosaceae). Rura. 



A small tree, very common in the bush and forest savannah, usually 

 only about 10 to 15 feet high, with pale leaves and a dry, pear-like 

 fruit. Of its congeners, P. macrophyllum, Sabine, the Gawasa or 

 Gingerbread Plum, is its representative in most northerly provinces, 

 and P. polyandrum, Benth., with grape-like bunches of purple not 

 edible fruit, is common in the southern parts of the deciduous region. 



Eugenia Owariensis, Beau v. (Myrtacese). Malmo. 



A small tree, generally about 20 to 30 feet in height and always 

 found in moist places, by streams, etc. It has shining, odorous foliage, 

 white, fragrant flower-clusters, and a small black-purple, succulent 

 fruit. 



Cussonia Nigerica, Hutch. (Araliacese). Gwabsa or Takandar giwa. 

 A new species, occurring in the open and bush savannahs as a small 

 tree from 10 to 15 feet in height, with peculiar bare, raking branches, 

 producing at their ends clusters of digitate leaves or of long catkin- 

 like spikes of inconspicuous flowers. Incisions in the rough, fissured 

 bark yield a clear gum. (For the native name compare Hannoa 

 undulata.) 



CratcBva Adansonii, G. et P. (Capparidese). Ingidido. 



A small tree, occasionally 20 feet high, fairly abundant in the North, 

 of local distribution and common in towns. The leaves are trifoliate 

 and can be used as a vegetable ; the flowers are white and the fruit 

 yellow, spherical, and about the size of a small orange. 



Zizyphus spina-Christi, Willd. (Rhamnacese). Kurna. 



A small tree characteristic of the dry open regions and commonly 

 planted in northern towns. It is generally about 10 to 20 feet high, 

 spiny, with leaves three-nerved, and a rather dry, edible berry of 

 pleasant taste. 



Z. lujuba, Lam., is the Magariya, and is similar, but in these regions 

 generally has less of a stem and is more shrubby and thorny, and is 

 not, as a rule, planted, though the fruit is even pleasanter. 



