THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 355 



are covered with epiphytic ferns or orchids. Occasionally, 

 once a year or once in two or three years, the branches of the 

 trees standing nearest to a Cola are cut away and the ground 

 immediately surrounding a Cola tree is cleared of undergrowth. 

 The crop of fruit borne varies very much from year to year. 

 One j^ear a native may make a pound or so from his Cola tree, 

 whereas in another he perhaps makes very little. 



The sapwood is white and the heartwood a dull whitish- 

 yellow. It is moderately hard, very close grained and of fine 

 texture, with a dull lustre ; is moderately durable, but is liable 

 to be attacked by a very small furniture borer. It is termite- 

 proof. It planes well, does not split easily, takes nails and 

 saws well. It is apparently an excellent wood for carving. 

 It does not shrink nor warp very much. It is more durable 

 for interior work than for outside, where it is liable to get soft 

 and to crumble away. It is sometimes brittle ; it does not 

 burn well. 



Native Use. — The fruit is eaten and is used as an article 

 of export both to the Northern Provinces and also to the Con- 

 tinent. The wood is used for making " Ju-jus " (Esu — the 

 Devil) (Images of the King) ; otherwise it is not cut in the 

 Benin country. 

 Cola Afzelii. Monkey Cola Tree. Obidu, Obiedun, Ebidun (Yoru- 

 ba) ; Awohebitan (Benin). 



The brilliant red fruits, about twelve joined together in 

 a spherical bunch, are usually quite a feature of the small tree. 

 The leaves are digitate, but joined at the base, so in reality 

 only a single leaf. It is a much-branched tree with yellowish- 

 grey bark. The crown is much divided, and sometimes the 

 branches almost appear as if in large whorls. 



It is found in the Oyo, Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Owerri, 

 Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria. 



The wood is white and softish and not durable. It is most 

 common at the edge of the evergreen forest. It attains a 

 girth of about 6 feet and a bole length of about 15 feet. It 

 is a light-lover, though it stands a considerable amount of shade 

 in its youth. 



Native Use. — The wood is used for the stock of a cross-bow 

 in the Benin country, and the seeds are eaten at any time. 

 Cola sp. Obiedum (Yoruba) ; Ewoha (Benin). 



This is a comparatively common tree of the Benin, Abeo- 

 kuta and Ondo provinces of Nigeria. It is the original Cola 

 of the forest ; a medium-sized tree with the typical Cola 

 foliage, found growing singly. It does not appear to bear 

 very heavily, and apparently in some places the local people 



