THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 325 



sionally attacked by the leading-shoot borer, but this is not 

 very serious, particularly if a suitable mixture with other 

 trees has been formed. 



This timber has been one of the main export products 

 of the Sapeli and South Benin forests. The chief market 

 for this wood was, previous to the war, in Hamburg. How- 

 ever, from Hamburg, the markets of Copenhagen, Sweden, 

 Finland, Russia and Austria were also supplied. Being 

 almost half as heavy again as Khaya Mahogany, it costs 

 more in proportion to bring over to Europe. Owing to the 

 better and larger size of the logs which can be obtained from 

 these huge trees, there was in these markets a greater demand 

 for this timber for counter-tops than for Khaya timber. This 

 to some extent counterbalanced the disadvantage of the extra 

 weight. This timber was also considered of a duller colour 

 and more liable to split than the Khaya wood. However, 

 as many of the trees from which the largest logs have been 

 obtained are mature, and over-mature, it is natural that the 

 wood cannot be in a prime condition. 



The timber is very popular amongst the local people for 

 the making of canoes and for house-building. 

 Entandrophragma cylindrica. Heavy Mahogany or Cedar Mahog- 

 any. Jebu, Oro, Issisi, Alepo, Alopa (Yoruba) ; Ikwabobo, 

 Agiekpogo (Benin) ; Atore (Efik). 



It is found in the Abeokuta, Oyo, Ondo, Benin, Calabar 

 and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. It is one of the common 

 mahogany-trees of the evergreen and mixed deciduous forest 

 zone. It is the tallest of all African trees, the bole alone 

 often attaining a height exceeding 100 feet. It is also one 

 of the straightest and most cylindrical trees in Africa. The 

 root spurns are very slight compared to the size of the tree, 

 and do not extend usually more than 10 feet up the stem. The 

 bark is smooth and not unlike the beech ; in old age, however, 

 it becomes slightly pitted and the bark scales off in places. 

 The crown is deeper and more spherical than in the case of 

 Entandrophragma utilis. The ends of the branches are most 

 conspicuous, with theii- most pronounced tufts of leaves. The 

 leaf is often about 4 inches long, but in young shoots may 

 attain a length of nearly 3 feet, with over thirty pairs of pinnae. 

 The slash is white, with small, yellow, stone-like granules in it. 

 The bark is thick. 



The capsule is nearly 6 inches long and an inch in diameter. 

 It is similar in shape to that of Entandrophragma utilis, and 

 opens in a similar way. The seeds are rather larger and the 

 wings considerably longer. It is deciduous for about a week 



