386 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



Indian Blackwood. The flower is reddish-purple coloured 

 and quite conspicuous, growing out of the upper surface of the 

 twig without a stalk of any kind. The bark is almost black 

 and peels oft' in very thin, oblong-shaped flakes ; the cortex 

 underneath is green. In old age it is hollow at the first 

 branch joint. 



It is found in the Benin and Abeokuta provinces of Nigeria. 

 About one-third of the diameter of a mature tree is heartwood. 

 Apparently a slow-growing tree, though none have been planted. 

 It is a shade-bearer in the evergreen and mixed forest ; natural 

 regeneration is not good. A large cerambix or other borer 

 makes finger-thick holes in the sap and heartwood of old trees. 



It should be an export timber of value, but it was only 

 valued at £5 to £10 a ton in 1906. It has been used for mirror 

 frames. 



Native Use. — For firewood in the Benin country, where it 

 is considered very good. 

 Diosjiyros suaveolens. Benin Ebony. Oohoo (Benin). 



It is a small-sized tree, with very small heartwood and a 

 small, oblong, almost lanceolate leaf. The bark, which is quite 

 black, has slight fissures and is much harder than that of 

 D. atropurpurea. 



It is prevalent in the Benin country, Nigeria. 



It likes to grow near water, but not in a swampy place. 

 It is a slow-grower and shade-bearer, being found as an under- 

 growth in the high forest. It is not attacked by white ants. 

 The wood is hard and durable. 



Native Use. — It is used for house-building as rafters, as 

 well as for axe-handles of any kind. Small trees are used for 

 making bows (long) for shooting birds. 

 Diospyros verrucosa. 



This tree, although named from the Cameroons, is found in 

 the Abeokuta and Benin provinces of Nigeria. The twigs are 

 very rough compared to the other species. 

 Diospyros dendo ?. Cross River Ebony. Ebubri etu, Obiliteto 

 (Efik) ; Itiuyang (Oban, Ekoi). 



It is a medium-sized tree with dark-green, smooth bark, 

 with large lanceolate leaves and strong upward-spreading 

 branches, which makes the bole shorter than it would other- 

 wise be. The fruit is almost pear-shaped, containing four 

 long, thin, wedge-shaped seeds, brown outside and white 

 inside. 



It is found in the Calabar and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria, 

 in the evergreen forest zone of the hill forests. 



The crown is rather irregular in shape, being supported 



