374 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



dyes ; the roots are used for chewing-sticks, and the bark is 

 used medicinally by the natives. 



It yields a good firewood which gives great heat. The 

 smaller poles make very useful hut-building timber, as it is 

 so often forked. 



It should find a place as an avenue tree, owing to the delicate 

 green, the drooping nature of its foliage, and the moderate 

 amount of shade cast on the road. 



The timber has not been tried for export, but with its dark 

 black and sometimes streaky coloration it is worthy of a 

 trial. Locally it has occasionally been cut for planks and for 

 house-building. It is not liked because it is so hard. The 

 sap wood is rather wide. The timber is sometimes rather 

 knotty, especially containing dry knots. It is sometimes 

 attacked by a large borer, making large holes in it. 

 Laguncularia racemosa. White Mangrove or White Button. 



This species is found growing in the swamp regions, also 

 on the coast. It yields timber, tanning, dyeing materials and 

 medicaments. 



Myrtaceae. 



Eugenia Owariensis (Beauv.). West African Allspice. Adere 

 (Yoruba). 



It is a common tree of the Olokemeji Reserve and the 

 Abeokuta and Oyo provinces. 



With its comparatively short bole (about 8 feet) and wide, 

 almost spherically-shaped crown, it is one of the largest and 

 most conspicuous of the dry-zone trees. The tree attracts 

 the pigeons, but not so much as the wild fig. The flowers 

 are very minute and insignificant. The fruit is very small 

 and poor. 



Reaching only a girth of about 4 feet, it does not yield 

 very large timber. Although moderately hard and durable, 

 it has not yet found a place in the local market. It is doubtful 

 if it is termite-proof. It might be used for making boxes or 

 for small articles of furniture in localities where wood is 

 scarce. 



It is a comparative!}' slow-growing tree, almost soil- 

 improving, and of a light-loving nature. 



Owing to its comparatively dense foliage partially shading 

 the ground and thus killing the grass, it is a distinctly helpful 

 species in the protection from fire of a dry-zone forest. 



Natural reproduction by seed is only moderate, but stump 

 shoots are strong, and it appears that root suckers also come 

 up in certain places. 



