362 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



Timber. — It has yellowish-white sapwood and light-red 

 heartwood of firm texture, with a certain amount of waviness 

 in it, especially if the tree has been barked in its earlier years. 

 It is not hard, and is easy to work ; it does not appear to warp 

 or shrink. 



Silvicultural Qualities. — It is a shade-bearer with very per- 

 sistent evergreen leaves. It will stand in waterlogged land 

 and grow almost to perfection. The branches are also very 

 persistent, and it is only when growing in close proximity to 

 other heavy foliaged trees that the bole clears itself of branches 

 for two-thirds of its length. The stump shoots sprout up 

 when the tree is cut down. The more prevalent form of re- 

 production is by seed. The mature tree bears quite prolifically 

 almost every year. The timber has not been felled for 

 export, but the seeds are worth £8 a ton on account of the 

 oil that they contain, which is considered suitable for soap- 

 making. 

 Pentadesma Nigritana. Odgebu (west side) (Benin). 



Distribution. — It is found in the Oban Reserve of the Calabar 

 province of Nigeria. 



Characteristics. — It is a medium-sized tree with black bark 

 on the branches. The leaves are glabrous coriaceous, 3| to 

 4| inches long and 1 to 1| inches broad. 



Silvicultural Qualities. — It grows in the evergreen forests, 

 is a shade-bearer and comparatively slow-growing tree. 



Utility. — The fruit has not yet been collected, but, judging 

 by the locality in which this tree is found, the seeds would 

 contain similar quantities of oil to those of P. buiyracece. 

 Haronga Madagascariensis (Kew). Benin Roof -pole. Itue (Benin). 



It is a non-indigenous tree (exotic) which is now found in 

 the Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ondo, Benin, Warri, Owerri, Ogoja 

 and Calabar provinces of Nigeria. 



It is commonly seen growing up in old farms in the heavier 

 soils of the evergreen and mixed deciduous forest zones. 

 The slash, which is brick-red and exudes a yellowish-red latex, 

 is most typical of this tree. The tree is almost gregarious, form- 

 ing groups nearly half an acre in extent ; the bark peels very 

 easily, leaving a clean white stem which hardens very much 

 on exposure to the air. It is a small tree, attaining a girth 

 of about 2 feet and a height of about 40 feet. The wood is quite 

 white, with a small pink pith about a quarter of an inch in 

 diameter ; it is a verj^ light wood and most durable when under 

 cover. 



The leaves are of a medium size and rough to the touch. 

 When 2 to 4 inches in diameter the natives cut the trees, clean 



