THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 331 



Amongst the natives it is occasionally used as a house- 

 building timber, the tree having a fork at a convenient distance 

 from the ground. 

 Trichilia Prieuriana. Awe, Eriagbo (Yoruba) ; Igogo (Benin) ; 

 vSomabari (Oban, Ekoi). 



Chief Characteristics. — It is a dark-foliaged tree, usually 

 found dominated in the mixed forest, with thin, scaly bark 

 and thin, long leaves, with four or five pairs of pinnae. The 

 seeds are reminiscent of Guarea. 



Distribution. — It is found in the mixed deciduous forests 

 of the Abeokuta, Ibadan and Benin provinces of Nigeria. 



Timber. — It has a hard, red heartwood of close grain 

 and white sapwood ; it does not shrink nor warp to any 

 extent. 



It is a slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and 

 soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration appears to be poor, 

 perhaps owing to the fact that the seeds decay very rapidly 

 when lying in the ground. 



In the dry season the dew condenses very readily on this 

 tree, and thus makes the ground very moist underneath. 



It does not reach really export timber size. It has not 

 been used either for export or locall3\ However, for smaller 

 constructional work it deserves a trial. 

 Turrcea Vogelii. Asha omode (Yoruba) ; Ovioza (Benin). 



It is rather an uncommon tree of the Benin province of 

 Nigeria. It is quite small, only attaining a girth of about 

 2 feet. It usually stands in the shade as part of the under- 

 growth of the evergreen forest. 



The natives have no particular use for it. 

 Turnea heterophylla. 



This tree is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. 

 It is a small tree which has been specially noticed in the Ilaro 

 Forest Reserve. The Yorubas do not have any special use 

 for this species of Meliaceae. It is considerably harder than 

 either mahogany or cedar mahogany. 

 Ekebergia Senegalensis (Juss.). 



It is a medium-sized tree found in the Abeokuta province 

 of Nigeria. It is distinguished by its white flowers, and is 

 found growing in the Olokemeji Arboretum. The leaves are 

 large for Meliaceae, but the position of the flower-stalk and 

 the bark are typical of this family. The natives have not 

 used the wood thus far. It would make rather an ornamental 

 shrub-like tree in a garden. 

 Melia Azedarach. Bead Tree or Persian Lilac. Eke O^'^inbo 

 (Yoruba). 



