312 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



It has not been cut for local use or exported to Europe. 

 It is used for making shovels for mud-puddling in the building 

 of Benin houses ; also for pegs in the walls of a chief's house. 

 Toddalia sp. Oie (Yoruba). 



A climbing shrub common in Tropical West Africa. The 

 fertile stamens are equal in number to the petals. Leaves 

 digitate. 



Uses. — Condiments and medicine. 

 Mgle Barteri. Calabash Orange. Shange, Bale (Yoruba). 



This is a small tree growing near the villages, cultivated 

 for its shade and for medicinal purposes. The fruit looks 

 like an orange, but the shell is hard and it is not edible. 

 Clausena Amsata (Oliv.). Alapari, Obuko (Yoruba). 



It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta 

 province of Nigeria. 



Simarubacese. 



Irvingia Barteri. Dika Nut, Wild Mango. Oro, Auro 

 (Yoruba) ; Ogwi (tree), Okherli (seed) (Benin). 



It is foimd in the Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Warri, Onitsha, 

 Owerri, Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. 



With its smooth, shining, small dark-green leaves it is 

 quite distinguishable from other forest trees. The very 

 spherical shape of the crown and the short bole are also most 

 typical of the tree. It is often found near river banks or in 

 damp localities. Wherever found, it is usually preserved by 

 the natives, though not actually cultivated or tended. 



The flower is inconspicuous, but the fruit is like a small 

 mango, becoming quite yellow when ripe, though much harder 

 and of a much sharper flavour. 



The wood is hard and durable ; the sapwood is yellowish- 

 white and the heartAVOod yellow. It is impervious to white 

 ants. 



The tree is a shade-bearer, especially in youth, but grows 

 very slowly. Those planted near LeopardstoAvn, Calabar, 

 were only 6 to 8 feet high after ten years' growth. It is true 

 they received little or no attention and occasionally the grass 

 Avas burnt near them. 



No regular plantations have been made, though one plot 

 was planted in the Mamu Reserve in 1910. Further experi- 

 ments in cultivation, and especially pruning and tending to 

 see how early the tree will bear fruit, are worth undertaking. 

 A method to increase the size of the fruit, and with it the size 

 of the kernel, might be discovered and thus make it a profitable 

 tree to grow in plantations. 



