THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 333 



The timber is a little more closely grained than that of 

 R. Rautenii, but otherwise very similar. On the whole the 

 bole has a less good shape, tapering rather more in proportion 

 to its height. The timber length of the tree does not usually 

 exceed 25 feet. Natural regeneration is very good, though 

 this tree does not bear seed so heavily as the sister species. 

 It sprouts well from the stump, but the stump does not last. 

 In its youth it will stand a little shade, but is really a light- 

 loving tree, with soil-protecting, soil-improving qualities. It 

 is not quite so rapid a growing tree as R. Rautenii, even though 

 it is one of the quickest growing trees. It appears to like a 

 moist, comparatively rich soil. 



In 1906 samples of this timber were sold in the Liverpool 

 market as a species of mahogany. It is, however, probable 

 that these were logs from a different kind of tree, as the 

 wood is too dull a brown colour to be really like mahogany. 

 Locally it has not been sawn up for planks, but deserves a 

 trial as a box-making and pattern-making wood. 



Native Use. — It is felled indiscriminately with R. Rautenii 

 and used for a similar purpose. 

 Ricinodendron Rautenii. Yoruba Coffin Wood. Ekku, Puttuputtu 

 (Yoruba) ; Okwen-seva, Okkwen nebo (Benin). 



A large tree, up to 12 feet in girth, with stout branches 

 and roughly fissured bark reminding one of oak. The fruit 

 is slightly three-lobed, containing three seeds. The leaf is 

 digitate, with the number of digits varying from five to seven. 

 The leaves are larger and thicker and with a rougher surface 

 than those of R. Africanus. The crown is thicker, more wide- 

 spread, and roughly spherical in shape. The roots usually 

 come out of the ground near the base of the tree and form 

 rough root spurns, extending 3 or 4 feet up the bole of the 

 tree. The bole reaches a length of 30 feet. 



It is one of the commonest trees in the moist secondary 

 forests and at the edge of the mixed deciduous forests in 

 Benin, Abeokuta, Calabar. 



The timber of this tree was described as a " species of 

 mahogany " and suitable for the Liverpool market in 1906. 



Native Use. — By the Yorubas it is cut down and sawn up 

 into planks for making coffins. Mostly medium-sized trees 

 are used for this purpose. None of the natives apparently 

 know how to use the nuts. 

 Ricinodendron sp. Species of Mahogany. Okwen seni (Benin). 



The African oil-nut, with four nuts in each fruit, appears 

 to be the same, but this larger number of nuts is the specially 

 distinguishing feature, and has been given a distinct name 



