THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 293 



of seeds are borne almost every year. The flowers are reddish, 

 with white edges to the petals. The reddish tinge is quite 

 distinctive in this genus, the white being that of Berlinia. 



The bark drops off in large scales in places on the trunk 

 towards middle and old age, in a similar fashion to the European 

 plane. However, they do not leave the stem as smooth, though 

 the lighter patches where the bark falls off brighten the bole 

 up and make it quite distinctive amongst the other trees. 



The timber has been constantly used by the P.W.D. at 

 Onitsha. In the Liverpool market it was stated that it might 

 be marketable as oak, at a low figure, in 190G. A similar species 

 was being shipped from Gaboon in 1914 and fetched a fair price. 

 Albizzia fastigata (Oliv.). East Indian Walnut. Ayinre langara, 

 Ayinre ogo (Eg.) (Yoruba) ; Uwowe Lugu, Uwowelabafun 

 (Benin) ; Uyat (Efik). 



It is a large tree, up to 7 feet in girth and of corresponding 

 height. Fruit narrower than A. sp. ; only half an inch, with four 

 or five seeds in each. This species has the most durable wood 

 of all the Albizzias, but is not termite-proof, and has heart- 

 wood of a brown colour and white sapwood. The smallest 

 leaf of all the Albizzias is met with in this tree, having 

 very fine pinnae. 



Although not indigenous to Africa, it is now found almost 

 everywhere in all the mixed deciduous forests of the Southern 

 Provinces of Nigeria. The bark is rather rougher than that 

 of A. Brownii. The basal root spurns are narrower, though 

 they do not project more than 2 feet up the stem. On the 

 whole the foliage is thicker, and the crown gives the appear- 

 ance of being a little denser and not so feathery as that of 

 A. Broionii. 



The wood planes well, splits fairly easily, takes nails and 

 saws well. It is what the carpenters would call a wood 

 easy to work. The grain is of fine texture and has a certain 

 amount of lustre. 



It is a fast-growing, light-loving tree, which does not protect 

 the soil. The leaves, however, form a rich humus, which 

 enriches the soil. Natural regeneration appears to be good, 

 and with the spread of farms this tree tends to increase its area 

 of distribution. It will stand a little shade in its youth. A 

 few plantations have been made with this tree. 



Up to the present the timber has not been exported, but 

 deserves a trial as an African Walnut, though it is difficult 

 to obtain large-sized logs. It has occasionally been cut for 

 local use. It is used by the natives for firewood, and occa- 

 sionally, when split, for temporary house-building in the farms. 



