THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 363 



and strip off the bark, and use them for rafters in house-building, 

 especially in the Benin and Yoruba countries. 

 Symphonia globulifera (Kew). Hog Gum. 



It was reported from the Calabar province. 

 Allanblackia fioribunda. Orogbo erin (Yoruba) ; Izeni or lyockan 

 (Benin) ; Atta (Efik) ; Egba (Ibo, Owerri). 



Distribution. — It is found in the evergreen forests of the 

 Jebu Ode, Benin, Owerri (?) and Calabar (?) provinces of 

 Nigeria. This tree usually grows on less moist soil and further 

 away from water than P. butyracece, though it likes a moist 

 and deep soil. 



Chief Characteristics. — The long, hard, brown, enlarged 

 sausage-shaped fruit hanging on a stalk shows, when cut, large 

 seeds scattered in white pulp, and is thus different in this respect 

 to Pentadesma, which has dark-brown seeds embedded in a 

 soft, yellowish pulp. The slash is yellow, but only exudes a 

 little yellow latex at first. The branches are not so verticillate 

 in form as Pentadesma, but are more pendulous, especially 

 when the tree is in fruit. They also are further apart 

 and give the crown a more open appearance. The fruit is 

 three times the length and the diameter rather more than 

 that of P. butyracece. 



Timber. — The sapwood is whitish-yellow and the heartwood 

 yellowish-red and moderately hard. It is not attacked by 

 white ants ; it does not split easily, but planes with a smooth 

 surface. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a height of about 

 80 feet, with a bole length of 20 feet and a girth of 8 feet. 



Silvicultural Qualities. — It is a shade-bearer and grows 

 comparatively slowly. Natural reproduction is chiefly by seed, 

 though fine and succulent stump shoots appear when a tree 

 is cut down. 



The timber has not been exported nor has it been used 

 locally ; the natives occasionally cut the bark for medicinal 

 purposes, but otherwise apparently have no use for the tree. 

 Ochrocarpus Africamis ? sp. of Allanblackia. African Mammee 

 Apple, Mahogany (Calabar). Igoda (Benin) ; Ereruku, Edeng 

 Edem (Calabar) ; Baulan Bolo (Degema, New Calabar) ; Okut 

 and Otun (Oban, Ekoi). 



Distribution. — It is found in the Calabar, Owerri and Ogoja 

 provinces of Nigeria, occurring sparsely in the evergreen 

 forests in several localities, where it takes the place of Khaya, 

 which is not prevalent in such places. 



Chief Characteristics. — It is a large tree, with orange- 

 coloured bark, especially in young specimens, and a little scaly. 

 In habit otherwise rather like Mahogany, after which the 



