NIGERIA 215 



boundary, larger in the mixed deciduous forests farther south and in 

 fringing evergreen belts. The foliage is dark and the bark blackish ; 

 the inconspicuous whitish flowers, of separate sexes on different trees, 

 are attractive to bees. The wood is white, with a black heartwood, 

 and the spherical yellow fruits (" Monkey Guava ") have a crisp rind 

 and sweet edible pulp, with four or five seeds. 



Strychnos spinosa, Lam. (Loganiacese). Kokiya. 



A small thorny tree with opposite three- to five-nerved leaves, 

 conspicuous by its round yellow fruit, which is orange-like, but has a 

 hard rind and flat seeds embedded in a pleasant acid edible pulp. 



Cordia Abyssinica, R. Br. (Boraginea?). Aliliba. 



A shrub or small tree with broad leaves and white flowers, valued 

 for the sweet yellow berries, which are used in making sweetmeats. 



Kigelia JEthiopica, Decne. ; var. Bornuensis, Sprague (Bignoniaceae). 

 Rahaina or Rawuya. 

 A species of " Sausage Tree," of irregular distribution in Northern 

 Nigeria, known in Sokoto, etc., but commoner in the Benue region 

 and in Bornu (possibly more than one species occurring). It grows to 

 a fairl}'^ large size, with dense foliage and pendulous racemes of lurid 

 purple and spotted flowers and large, yam-like fruits. 



Stereospermum Kunthianum, Cham. Jiri or Sansami. 



A small tree of the savannah forests, with smooth pale bark, 

 beautiful pink caducous blossoms and long slender pods. 



Vitex Cienkowskii, Kotschii et Peyr. (Verbenaceaj). Dinya. 



A fairly large tree, chiefly of open forest country and extending 

 at least as far as the Anglo-French border. The bark is somewhat 

 smooth, the crown of digitate leaves fairly dense, and the black, damson- 

 like fruits are used in making molasses and sweetmeats. The natives 

 value the wood as strong and suitable for local use. 



Uapaca Guineensis, Muell. Arg. (Euphorbiacese). Ka Jafogo. 



In the open country a rather small tree, with the habit of a Ficus, 

 but becoming a large tree, sometimes prop-rooted, in the Benue region 

 and in some ravines. 



ChloropJwra excelsa, Benth. and Hook. (Moraceoe). The " Iroko " 



or " Odum." 



Some of the splendid Nupe canoes are made of this, but the tree 



really belongs to the southern forests, though it occurs in the Benue 



region and perhaps in some northward extensions in river valleys. 



