326 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



in November, when the flowers, which are of a light-greenish 

 colour, appear, and then the leaves. 



The sapwood is white and comparatively wide, except in 

 very old trees. The wood, when freshly cut, smells slightly 

 like a red herring, and in colour is not unlike the flesh of 

 kippered herring. 



The heartwood is of a red-broMn colour, rather dulling on 

 exposure to the air and becoming a dark-brown colour. The 

 pores are very long, much more so than either in the E. utilis 

 or the Khaya genus. The timber splits well, saws easilj'-, and 

 takes nails moderately well. It is not always easy to plane 

 it down to a smooth surface. It has a distinct tendency to 

 warp unless properly seasoned. It is not termite-proof, but 

 the attacks of the white ants are slow. The sapwood is more 

 commonly attacked by a lymexylon. For interior work it is very 

 durable; sometimes it has a very prettj^ dull -brown wavy sheen. 



Natural regeneration is good in many places. Isolated 

 trees have been planted and small plantations made in different 

 parts of the country. The growth on the whole is even more 

 rapid than in the case of E. utilis. In favourable localities 

 it will exceed an annual height groAvth of 7 feet. Although 

 it will stand a considerable amount of shade in its youth, it 

 is more of a light-loving tree in old age. It is a soil -protecting 

 and soil -improving tree. 



This is one of the chief mahoganies exported from the 

 Benin and Sapeli forests, but it does not attain such an average 

 high price as that of the Khaya genus. However, from all 

 accounts it appears that the majority of figured logs have been 

 obtained from this species ; this compensates to some extent 

 the disadvantage of this being the heaviest wood of all the 

 mahoganies. It often floats just level with the water, and has 

 sometimes been known to sink. In pre-war days it used to 

 fetch 4d. per superficial foot, and the best market for it was 

 in Hamburg ; but, as also in the case of E. utilis, the wood was 

 supplied to the markets in Austria, Russia, etc. It is common 

 to make three logs each 30 feet long from the bole. Both 

 this tree and E. utilis yield some of the best curls which are 

 obtained from the mahogany. 



The local people used to be very fond of using this tree 

 for making canoes, and I have seen a canoe over 80 feet long 

 and having a draught of over 6 feet. It has also been largely 

 used in house-building. 

 Lovoa Klaineana. African Walnut. Abuwe (Yoruba) ; Ikwahobo, 

 or usually known amongst the timber men and forest officers 

 as Anamomilla in Benin, Apobo (Jekri, Ijor). 



