THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 299 



are admirably suited. The outer part of the stem of the creeper 

 is very rough and ahnost corrugated, especially near its base ; 

 the leaves are very small, considering the size of the whole 

 creeper. It is comparatively slow-growing. It grows in the 

 dense evergreen forest, and when drawn taut over the first 

 branches of one of the large trees it is not unlike the bole of 

 a small tree itself. When cut, the two ends part with a bang, 

 like the breaking of a ship's hawser. The natives use the 

 smaller parts of the stem for fly-switches, for which they are 

 very good and durable. The creeper is, however, not cultivated. 



Entada Soudanica. Ogurohe (Yoruba). 

 Found in the Ibadan province. 



Entada Abyssinica. Unwanwanis (Benin). 



It is found in the upper part of the Benin province near 

 Ishoka. It is a large creeper with rather smaller bean than 

 E. scandens. The beans have been used for making small 

 match-boxes in Europe. The natives consider the bean a 

 " Ju-ju." 



Diodea reflexa. Ishe, Agbarin (Yoruba). 



A climber, found in the Ibadan province. 



Mucuna urens. Ox-eye Bean. Awipu (Benin). 



Found in the Benin and Abeokuta provinces. 



Mucuna sp. Preussii. Yerepe (Yoruba). 



Found in the Olokemeji Reserve and Benin province. 



Acacia pennata (AVilld.). Acacia. Okwekwe (Benin). 



It is found in the upper part of the Benin, Ibadan, Ogoja 

 and Abeokuta provinces. It is a small, scandent shrub with 

 very sharp thorns, but which yields one of the strongest fibres 

 for making fishing lines or native rope. It forms almost im- 

 penetrable masses which are very unpleasant to go through 

 without a matchet. 



Acacia Sieberiana. African Rosewood. Sie (Yoruba). 



This is a somewhat uncommon Acacia of the Oyo province 

 of Nigeria. Being of medium size, its very handsome racemes 

 of yellow flowers show up to great advantage. The bark is 

 rough, the bole short, and usually divided 8 or 10 feet from 

 the ground. The sapwood is white and the heartwood a rose- 

 pink colour, which makes it not unlike the tj^pical rosewood 

 of commerce. The heartwood is comparatively wide, and it 

 is very hard, durable and termite-proof. It saws well and 

 splits moderately easily, but does not take nails at all well. 

 Reproduction by seed is apparently poor J it sprouts fairly 

 well from the stump. It is a light-loving species, but being 

 of the leguminous familj' it is a soil-improving tree. The 

 wood has not yet been exported, but locally it has occasionally 



