THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 319 



to the size of the tree, but this is more in the case of very 

 quickly grown trees. It sometimes shows yery rich figure 

 of a " roey " nature as well as " fiddleback," more especially 

 in the root buttresses. Here, owing to the storms to which 

 the tree is exposed, the fibres of these buttresses become frac- 

 tured and compressed, thus giving a broken and mottled appear- 

 ance to the grain after it has been cut up lengthways. In this 

 species the wood of the " curls " often shows a rather bolder 

 roe than in the case of those obtained from K. Punchii or 

 Ivoriensis. 



On the whole this is the most quickly growing of all the 

 Khayas. In its youth it stands a certain amount of shade, 

 and, in fact, always, but it would appear to demand a good 

 deal of light for its full and quick development. It is a 

 thoroughly soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. The leaves 

 make a rich humus. Natural regeneration is good, and, in fact, 

 appears to be much better than in the case of the other Khayas. 

 It sprouts from the stump a little. It appears to be somewhat 

 exacting as to soil, preferring somewhat deep, rich and moist 

 sites. In plantations it has already found a place. It has 

 also been planted, mixed with other species of Khaya, in the 

 small nurseries, plantations and lines of trees made by the 

 timber-lease holders. It does not seem to be attacked so 

 severely by the leading-shoot borer as in the case of K. Punchii. 

 Owing to the fact that the seeds usually fall on more open 

 ground, it is not eaten so quickly by the little boring insects. 



The timber is being constantly exported and mixed up 

 with the other species of Khaya. Being lighter, it floats 

 higher on the water than the other species, more especially 

 Entandrophragma. It has occasionally been used bj^ the natives 

 for making canoes, as also for sawing up into planks. 

 Khaya Punchii. Uhi Mahogany, Benin Mahogany. Oganwo 

 (Yoruba) ; Ogwangu (Benin) ; Eggi (Ibo Asaba). 



This tree does not attain such a large size as either 

 K. grandis or K. Ivoriensis, but it often exceeds a girth of 

 12 feet and a bole length of 70 feet. The bottom log of a tree 

 is often found to show figured wood. This is perhaps owing 

 to the bark being constantly removed, and to the succeeding 

 occlusion of the wounds following at different times, according 

 to when the bark is removed. 



Chief Characteristics. — It has a comparatively small leaf, 

 with five or six pairs of leaflets. It has slight root spurns, 

 or protuberances, or even in some cases none at all. It is 

 generally particularly rough at the base, owing to the bark 

 having been continually removed by the local people. Higher 



