THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 265 



growing, light-loving tree, but does not protect the soil. Natural 

 regeneration appears to be fair. It sprouts well from the 

 stump, often in this wa,y forming quite a clump. On these 

 stool shoots it bears flowers and fruit early. It transplants 

 badly, more especially when placed in the open. It is 

 somewhat exacting as to soil, demanding a certain amount 

 of moisture as well as depth. It is somewhat fire-resisting, 

 sprouting out again after such injury. 



As it does not really reach timber size, it is not of much 

 use for local constructional purposes. 



Native Use. — The smaller trees are used as walking-sticks 

 and the larger ones are sometimes used for hoe and axe handles. 

 In clearing the land for farms, stool shoots are left standing, 

 to act as supports for the tendrils of the yams after they have 

 been planted. 

 Monodora myristica, var. grandifolia. Calabash Nutmeg. La- 

 koshe or Abo Lakoshe, Ilakosin, Igbo (Yoruba) ; Ukposa, 

 Eddo Binoyoba (Benin). 



It is found in the mixed deciduous forests of the Ibadan, 

 Ondo, Benin, Owerri, and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, where 

 it is somewhat prevalent. 



Chief Characteristics. — It is a large tree, up to 7 feet in girth, 

 with open crown and thin foliage. The flowers are very con- 

 spicuous when they fall, having three very large pointed red 

 petals streaked with white, almost reminiscent of an orchid. 

 The edge of the petal is wavy, too. On the tree, the flowers 

 hang from the under-side of twigs with very short petioles. 

 It is the most handsome and largest flowering tree amongst 

 the Monodoras. It is, however, never quite so much covered 

 with flowers as the M. tenuifolia. The flowers are con- 

 siderably larger, being quite half to one inch longer. The 

 bole reaches a length of about 15 feet, but is often branched 

 lower down. The fruit is a large drupe, containing a number 

 of small nuts. 



The timber is whitish, hard and somewhat tough, and does 

 not split well. 



It is a moderately fast-growing, light-demanding tree. 

 With the exception of the period when it loses leaves, it is a 

 soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. 



Although it scarcely reaches timber size, it might be tried 

 for smaller constructional purposes, such as handles, posts, 

 or rails. The quantities, however, are not verj^ large. 



Native Use. — The nut is ground up and used in soup. 

 Monodora brevipes. Yellow-flowering Nutmeg. Ause, Lakosin 

 (Yoruba) ; lyoha (Benin). 



