THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 275 



Pierocarpus Soyauxii. Large Fruited Camwood. Arakpa, Ume 

 (Benin) ; Ukpa (Efik). 



It is found in the Ogoja, Benin, Warri (?), Ondo, Ibadan (?) 

 and Abeokuta (?) provinces of Nigeria. 



It is a common tree in the mixed deciduous forests, reach- 

 ing a height of 80 to 100 feet, with a bole length of 50 feet and 

 a girth of 10 feet. The bark is a darker colour than P. Osun, 

 but a little rougher. The leaf is smaller than P. Osiin, but 

 is unarmed. The most typical difference in this tree is the 

 fruit, which is the largest of all, 2| to 3 inches in diameter, 

 with plenty of prickly thorns in the centre of each surface. 

 The wood is a much darker red, quite a dull, almost purple 

 red. The root spurns on the whole extend higher up the trunk 

 than P. Osun (up to 4 feet). The slash is white, but thin red 

 latex soon exudes out of it. 



The wood is hardish, but the sap wood is very white and 

 soft. The wood does not make the same kind of stain as P. 

 Osun, though apparently it keeps its colour much better than 

 P. Osun. When exposed to light, P. Osun loses it very quickly 

 and becomes a dull-brown colour. The grain is open and 

 varies a little in colour, giving it a pleasing effect. Termites do 

 not attack it. It splits well. 



It sprouts from the stump slightly, but such shoots do not 

 attain any size. Seedlings come up readily from fallen seeds. 

 The seeds are liable to be eaten by the " ground pig " almost 

 at once. It grows moderately quickly, but is a light-lover. 

 It has an undivided stem. 



Samples were sent to Liverpool in 1916 and sold as African 

 Padauk, and it was reported that " small quantities sell " 

 satisfactorily. It has been cut for local use for buildings. 



Native Use. — It is used for making wooden shovels, all 

 out of one piece. Also in house-building as wall-plates at 

 the top of the mud walls, also in the Oba's house for 

 uprights. 

 Erythrophloeum sjJ. Sasswood. Inyi (Benin). 



This tree was determined from material from the Central 

 Circle. 

 Erythrophloeum Guineense. Sasswood, or Sassy Bark, or Ordeal 

 Bark. Erun obo (Yoruba) ; Oginyi (Benin) ; Akpa Etuidiwi 

 (Efik) ; Arachi (Ibo, Asaba) ; Inyi, Ibo (Onitsha, Ibo, 

 Owerri). 



It is found in the Ibadan, Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Onitsha 

 and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria in the mixed deciduous 

 forest zone, where it is often very prevalent, more especially 

 north of Ifon and Alabeta in the Benin province. 



