THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 295 



bark have been used amongst the Yorubas for medicinal 

 purposes. 

 Albizzia sp. Walnut. Owewe nolemare (Benin) ; Ayinre 

 (Yoruba) ; Semusholoshi (Jebu) ; Akkihien, also Owewe lagebon 

 (Benin). 



According to Mr. H. N. Thompson, Chief Conservator of 

 Forests in Nigeria, who has seen the fruit of this tree, it is 

 most certainly an Albizzia. 



Cliief Characteristics. — It has been described by a German 

 as not unlike a solitary-standing pine, with its dark foliage 

 of small pinnate leaves, which are larger than Piptadenia 

 Africana and j'et smaller than Cylicodiscus Gabunensis. In 

 the above description it is very similar in habit to Piptadenia 

 Kerstingii. The dark brown bark, which is roughish, is light- 

 brown on the upper part of the stem. The crown is fiat, con- 

 sisting of two or three wide, outspreading branches. It has 

 the usual flat, pajiery pod. The leaves are used by the Benin 

 people for soup. 



Distribution. — It is found in the Abeokuta province of 

 Nigeria. 



Timber. — It is fairly close-grained, though not nearly so 

 hard as either Piptadenia Africana or Cylicodiscus Gabunensis, 



Use. — The Yorubas use the bark medicinally as a stomachic, 

 and the trunk is usually swollen at the base owing to the cortex 

 being removed so often. 

 Albizzia rhombifolia. Walnut. Ayinre, Ayinre langara, Ayinre 

 ogo (Yoruba) ; Owowe (Benin), 



It is found in the Ibadan and Benin provinces of Nigeria, 

 in the mixed deciduous forests, where it is. quite prevalent. 

 It is a medium-sized tree, attaining a girth of about 6 feet 

 and a bole length of 30 feet. It is commonly seen in old farms, 

 and usually more than one is found in the same locality. The 

 thin, yellow, spiky flowers are rather pretty. The fruit is 

 rather smaller than that of the other species. 



The sapwood is white, and the heartwood is a light yellow- 

 green. It is soft and not very durable ; it is attacked by 

 white ants (termites). However, it saws well, planes well, 

 takes nails easily and splits moderately well. It can be cut 

 into good-sized planks. 



Timber, yellowish-green, and yields large planks. 



It is a fast-growing, light-loving tree, which scarcely protects 

 the soil, and only slightly improves it with its leaf fall. Natural 

 regeneration is good, the seedlings growing up rapidly in any 

 open place in the mixed deciduous forests. 



The timber has not been tried for export, nor has it been 



