THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 383 



rather dry and thickish. It is a distinctly yellowish-green 

 colour. The foliage is very sparse. 



With its none too straight stem and comparatively slight 

 amount of foliage it presents a poor appearance. 



The wood is of a pleasant light-yellow colour and com- 

 paratively hard. It planes up with a smooth surface and 

 saws easily. It does not take nails well, nor does it split easily. 

 It is termite-proof. 



Natural regeneration appears to be slight, but stool and 

 root shoot reproduction seem to be strong. The seeds are very 

 small and appear like little round, spherical nuts. Although 

 it will bear a slight amount of shade in its youth, it is a 

 light-loving species later on. 



Occurring as it does in the mixed deciduous forests, near 

 the lower edge of the dry-zone vegetation it should prove a 

 useful tree, especially as it is comparatively fire-resisting. 



Although comparatively slow-growing it attains sufficient 

 size to be cut up into verandah-posts and banister rails and 

 uprights. 



On the whole, quite a respectable quantity of timber could 

 be obtained in the aggregate from the large number of trees 

 found growing in the forests. 

 Pachy stela cinereum (Pierre). Osan odo, Orban igba (Yoruba). 



Found in the Abeokuta province. 



Ebenaces. 



Diospyros Momhuttensis, syn. Sinensis. Walking-stick Ebony 

 or Yoruba Ebony. Ogan pupa, Aggan Egbo (Egba) (Yoruba) ; 

 Ungungmekkan (Benin). 



It is a small tree with reddish-coloured stem and very thin, 

 scaly bark, often branching near the base and usually forming 

 several stems up to 18 inches in girth instead of one main stem. 

 It has a large, alternate leaf, with large leaf scars, amounting 

 to projections from the twigs. The fruit is like an acorn, 

 but of reddish colour, with a very small, low-rimmed cup. The 

 twigs are reddish colour too, which is most typical of the tree. 



It is common in the Benin, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Oyo and 

 Ondo provinces of Nigeria. 



Timber. — Very hard, whitish-brown wood. 



E. Use. — Walking-sticks, as it often grows forming a natural 

 handle. 



Native Use. — Walking-sticks. 

 Diospyros sp. Benin Ebony. Owegbo (Benin). 



A medium-sized tree, yielding a black ebony, which is 

 prevalent in the Benin forests. The bark scales ofif like D. atro- 



