338 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



Anacardiaceae. 



Spondias lutea. Non-indigenous Hog Plum or Yellow Plum, 

 lyeye, Akika Aka (Yoruba) ; Ogikan or Ogege (Benin) ; Nsuka- 

 kara (Efik). 



Although indigenous to India, it has become very wide- 

 spread in its area of distribution in Africa, Avhere it is found, 

 partly planted or as a " garden escape," in all the Southern 

 Provinces of Nigeria. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a 

 girth of about 5 feet and a height of about 50 feet. The very 

 evenly and comparatively deeply fissured bark, in comparison 

 to the size of the tree, is the most typical feature of it. A 

 very open crown, and few straight upward- and outward-tending 

 branches, with very slight side branches and twigs also dis- 

 tinguish this tree from many of the forest trees. The little 

 yellow fruit, about 1 inch long and f inch in diameter, is 

 very much like an elongated Mirabel plum. It is between 

 an eighth and a quarter of an inch of yellow flesh when the 

 nut or stone is reached inside. The leaves are thin and pinnate, 

 with ten to twelve pairs of pinnae on each leaf. Sometimes 

 the bark is rough and almost prickly. The branches and cortex 

 in smaller trees are more or less covered with little nodules 

 which sometimes develop into small thorns. The fruit is 

 sweet, but rather sharp to the taste, almost tart. It is, 

 however, refreshing in the hot weather whilst on the 

 march. 



The timber is whitish-yellow, not very hard, although it 

 is scarcely attacked by white ants, chiefly perhaps owing to 

 the fact that any green piece of wood with some bark on it 

 will grow when lying on the ground. It planes well, splits 

 easily, and takes nails. 



It is a rapid-growing, light-loving tree which does not 

 thoroughly protect the soil nor enrich it very much with its 

 foliage. Natural regeneration is poor. It is most readily 

 propagated by means of cuttings, which may even be about 

 6 inches in diameter and quite as long as posts. With the 

 spread of farms and other buildings it tends to become more 

 widely distributed over the country. It demands a moist soil 

 with a fair amount of depth. 



The timber does not show such qualities as to justify its 

 export, but occasionally the larger trees might be sawn up 

 for planks for local use. It is very useful for making live 

 fences, which grow fast and do not cast much shade. In fruit 

 the tree also looks very pretty. 



Native Use. — The tree is used for live fences for gardens 

 and farms. The fruit is eaten, but not to an enormous extent, 



