THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 315 



the centre of the fruit there is an oblong nut rather more than 

 1 inch in length, more or less round, with four ribbed edges, 

 all culminating at the apex. The leaves are large, consisting 

 of four to six pairs of pinnae, which are shiny and dark-green 

 on the upper surface, and almost silver-grey underneath. The 

 trunk is often very much cut about and chipped, and little 

 pieces of the white gum are often seen in the old scars. It 

 usually bears fruit heavily every year. 



The sapwood is white and the heartwood is of a faint pink 

 colour. It is not very hard, but more like mahogany in texture 

 and character. Owing to its irregular growth and branching 

 habit, it is often rather knotty and cross-grained. 



It is a shade-bearing, somewhat slow-growing tree, which 

 only partially protects the soil, but on the whole improves 

 it with its fall of leaves. Natural regeneration appears to be 

 rare, chiefly perhaps owing to the fact that the natives pick 

 the fruit even before it is quite ripe, and take it away to 

 eat in their houses. It is usually planted by the natives as 

 a transplanted seedling, about 3 feet high. Considering the 

 poor flavour of the fruit, it is rather surprising that it is so 

 widely planted and comparatively speaking so much tended 

 by the natives in certain districts. It is moderately fire-resist- 

 ing and dew-collecting, especially in the dry seasons, the ground 

 in the vicinity of the trees often being quite damp with the 

 condensed dew falling off the leaves. 



It has not been felled for export or for local use. The 

 tree, however, provides grateful shade in the more open parts 

 of the country', in the neighbourhood of villages. 



The gum has not been collected for export, but is con- 

 sidered of value. However, no tapping experiments have been 

 tried. 



Native Use. — The fruit is called a pear, and is liked by most 

 natives, who eat it raw. It is sometimes sold in the markets 

 at five for one penny. 

 Canarium Schiveinfurthii. Pink Mahogany, Bastard Mahogan3^ 

 Sometimes sold as Gaboon Mahogany or African Elemi. Anikan- 

 tuhu, Ako, Ibagbo (Yoruba) ; Onuraukyukyu (Benin) ; also 

 known as Ikwapbo. (The Benin name means Kyukyu or bird, 

 Onumu or Incense-tree.) 



Chief Characteristics. — Evenly striated bark of orange to 

 light-yellow colour, turning grey on exposure to full rays of 

 the sun. The seed is small and similar to that of Pachylobiis 

 edulis, but much smaller. 



Distribution. — A few in the Western, more in the Central 

 west and south of Benin, and most common in the Eastern 



