THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 273 



Pterocarpus Osun. African Padouk or Barwood. Osun, Osun 

 dudu (Yoruba) ; Urae, Ureben (Benin) ; Opepe (Ikala, Ijor). 



It is found in the Ogoja and Calabar provinces of Nigeria, 

 in the mixed deciduous forest zone, where it is none too preva- 

 lent. A specimen was found near Ibami, in the Obubra district. 

 It is a small tree with small yellow flowers and rather small 

 leaves. The branches are placed close together and the crown 

 is very dark and thick. The bole is short, rarely exceeding 

 15 feet in length, and the bark a dark brown colour. The bole 

 reaches a girth of about 5 feet. 



The sapwood is white and the heartwood of a dull-red 

 colour, but in proportion the sapwood is rather wide. It is 

 moderately hard, fairly durable, but not termite-proof. It 

 planes well, saws easily, takes nails ; it does not split very well. 



It is a somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-pro- 

 tecting and soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration does 

 not appear to be very good. It is doubtful if it sprouts from 

 the stump. It has not been cut for export, nor has it been 

 felled for local use. 



On the Cross River the Camwood was sold to the European 

 merchants, at the rate of 409 billets per ton, for £4 10s., so that 

 with the added cost of river and ocean freight and sale charges, 

 there was no profit when it was being sold at £6 10s. per ton 

 in the Liverpool market. Better prices are always secured 

 if it is shipped in squared logs, 24 inches square and 24 to 

 30 feet in length. 



Apparently it is not the Camwood used by the natives, 

 because plenty of trees are seen scattered about in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Obubra untouched 

 Pterocarpus erinaceus. African Rosewood. Apepe, Ara (Yoruba) ; 

 Oyo, Upeka (Benin). 



This tree grows in the dry-zone savannah forests of the Ogoja 

 province of Nigeria. It is of small size ; the flowers, which are 

 yellow, appear in March. The timber is of little value, the tree 

 not being large enough to yield a useful timber, but it has been 

 sold as African Rosewood. It has a beautiful rose-red colour. 

 Pterocarpus sp. So-called Camwood. Osun pupa (Yoruba) ; 

 Akume (Benin) ; also spineless fruited Camwood. 



It is found in the Calabar, Ogoja, Benin and Ondo provinces 

 of Nigeria. On the bank of the Cross River, near the Ossizza 

 factory, there is a large s7ocimen, standing about 20 feet away 

 from the water's edge. 



It is not very common, and chiefly found near river banks 

 in the evergreen forest towards their northern limit. It is a 

 medium-sized tree, reaching a girth of 9 feet at the most 

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