THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 291 



It is found in the Benin, Ondo, Abeokuta, Calabar, 

 Owerri and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. 



It is a medium-sized tree, with a pod, which is usually slightly 

 crumpled or bent, containing about six or eight black nuts, 

 with a red aril at the base, and each nut is pointed more, and 

 less rounded, than in A. Africana. On the whole it is found 

 more in the deciduous mixed forest than on the edge or in 

 the dry-zone forest region, where A. Africana abounds. The 

 bark does not scale ofE so much as that of A. Africana. It 

 stands more shade than A. Africana. It does not reach such 

 large dimensions, though logs up to 18 inches square and 

 24 feet in length could be obtained. 



Up to the present the tree has not been cut to the same 

 extent as A. Africana, though the wood is very similar and 

 apparently just as durable. 



No separate report has been made on the timber as to its 

 value in the European markets. 

 Afzelia bella. Calabar Afzelia. Aligna (Benin). 



It is found in the Calabar province of Nigeria. It is more 

 common in the Caraeroons. 



It is a small tree, with large white flowers with a pretty, 

 reddish streak in each petal. The pod is of usual Afzelia size 

 and appears rather large for the size of the tree. The type 

 specimen stands on the Calabar Golf Course, between the seventh 

 and eighth holes. It is apparently uncommon, though more 

 may be found on closer study of the forests. The fruits appear 

 to have the same qualities as those of other Afzelias. In 

 Nigeria it has so far not been utilized. The bark is not so 

 scaly as that of A. Africana. 

 Afzelia pachyloba {nov. sjp.). Forest Afzelia or Yellow Aril. Apa 

 (Yoruba) ; Orodo (Benin). 



It is a medium-sized tree, with long, pointed nuts with a 

 bright sulphur-coloured aril instead of the orange-colour of 

 Africana or red of Cuanzensis. It does not appear to be such 

 a common tree as A. Africana, but much the same number 

 of trees as that of A. cuanzensis. 



It is found in the evergreen forests of Ondo, Benin and 

 Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. 



The sapwood is white and the heartwood is brown. It 

 is very bard, almost as hard as Lophira, according to the natives. 

 Self-sown seedlings do not appear in large numbers. 



It is used for similar purposes as A. Africana. It is a shade- 

 bearing and soil-improving tree. 



No separate report has been made on the timber, and so 

 far it has not been exported to the English markets. 



