332 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



A tree found growing plentifull}'. It is of medium size, 

 bearing a very ornamental flower. It yields timber, gum, oil 

 and medicaments, and is also used in the preparation of 

 liquors. The fruit is poisonous. 

 ? Mahogany. Onyemo (Benin). 



This tree is somewhat uncommon in the Benin province 

 of Nigeria. It is closely allied to the African Walnut. It is 

 apparently a mahogany, so far as the texture of the timber 

 is concerned, and the grain is very similar too. It is a medium- 

 sized tree with a bark less pitted than that of the Entandro- 

 phragmas and with a more greenish tinge. The slash is white, 

 the sapwood whitish-yellow and the heartwood light-brown, 

 becoming darker on exposure to the air. It has occasionally 

 been cut in Benin and used as mahogany. 



Polygalaceae. 



Carj)olobia lutea (Don). Oshunshun (Yoruba). 



It is found in the Abeokuta and Benin provinces of Nigeria 

 A shrub-like tree. 

 Poly gala arenaria. Okuturupu (Yoruba). 



It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta 

 province of Nigeria. 



DIchapetaiaceae. 



Chailletia floribunda (Planch). Kukumarugbo (Yoruba). 



This is a small tree of the mixed deciduous forest zone. 

 It is a shade-bearing and soil-protecting tree. 



The timber is hard and durable. Locally it has not been 

 used to any extent, though it might find a place in temporary 

 buildings as verandah-posts or window-frames. The timber 

 is said to be termite-proof. The flowers are very conspicuous 

 and quite enliven the forest with their bright colours. 



Euphorbiacces. 



Ricinodendron Africanus. African Wood Oil Nut. Erimado, 

 Ekku (lb.) ; Funfun Puttuputtu (Yoruba) ; Okkwen, Okwen- 

 seva (Benin). 



It is a large or more often medium-sized tree with smooth 

 grey bark, rather thin branches in more or less whorls, and 

 open crown. The fruit has two lobes, with one seed in each 

 lobe. The leaf is digitate, with a varying number of digits, 

 from three to five. The leaves are rather smaller and much 

 thinner and finer in texture than those of R. Rantenii. The 

 root spurns are smaller, and do not appear much more than 1 foot 

 to 2 feet above the ground, nor do the roots themselves usually 

 extend above the ground. It reaches a girth of about 8 feet. 



