328 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



market as African Walnut at Id. per superficial foot. Since 

 then, however, the qualities of this timber have become 

 better known, and it now finds a ready sale at rates varying 

 from 2d. to 5d. per superficial foot. Although it is a mahogany 

 by family, it is usual to sell it as African Walnut, as the colour 

 and texture of the wood are very similar to walnut. 



Native Use. — In the Benin province it has been used for 

 canoe-making. 

 Guarea Thomjysonii. Cedar Mahogany, Cedar or Close-grained 

 Mahogany. Sidu (Yoruba) ; Obobonikwi (Benin) ; Akpaku 

 (Ibo Asaba). 



It is a large forest tree of the evergreen forest zone, 

 attaining a girth of 12 feet, which is most commonly found 

 in the Benin district of Nigeria. 



Chief Characteristics. — The trunk is dark-brown with 

 smoothish bark, which has a tendency to scale off a little. 

 The pinnate leaves are shiny and form very distinctive tufts 

 at the ends of the branches, though not quite so much as in 

 Entandrophragma. 



The fruit, which is quite soft, is a dehiscent capsule, of 

 a dark brown colour ; when ripe, three black seeds covered 

 with red pulp are released. The seeds are ellipsoid in shape 

 and smaller than those of G. sp., Obobonufwa. The seed is 

 nearly half an inch long and covered with white streaks follow- 

 ing round its narrowest circumference. The crown is very thick 

 and dense compared with G. sp., Obobonufwa. The bole length 

 is shorter, and the shape of it is not so regular nor so round 

 as that of G. sp., Obobonufwa. The crown is flatly spherical 

 in shape, reaching fully a third of the total height of the tree. 

 The flowers are yellow and borne in long spikes about 1 foot 

 in length. 



The sapwood is white and the heart of a mahogany-brown 

 colour, with a slightish red tinge when freshly cut, which 

 rapidly goes a light brown colour, though not such a light 

 brown as in the case of G. sp., Obobonufwa. It has a strong 

 cedar scent when freshly cut, and even the old wood retains 

 this scent when planed up afresh. The gi'iiin is flue, though 

 a little fibrous. The pores are long and open. It has, however, 

 a nice sheen, giving a better appearance than that of G. sp., 

 Obobonufwa. It planes easily, but does not split very well. It 

 takes nails fairly easily and saws without difficulty. It is 

 not termite-proof. It has considerable tensile strength and 

 elasticity. In proportion the heartwood is very large and forms 

 comparatively early in the life of the tree. It has a closer 

 grain than any of the mahogany of the Benin district. 



