388 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



Diospyros xanthoxijplamys. Okahimi (Benin). 



This is one of the Benin ebonies and is not very prevalent. 

 It is said to yield a good ebony. 

 Maba Mannii. Benin Maba. 



It is a common tree in the Benin and Ondo provinces of 

 Nigeria. It only reaches a girth of 4 feet and a short bole 

 of about 10 feet. It is much branched, even low down, the 

 branches being persistent and crooked. The leaves are small, 

 rather less than ebony itself. The leaf is really a long, 

 pinnate one, with thirty pairs of pinnse. The fruit is white, 

 soft and oblong, with small seeds. 



The tree has a white sapwood with a black heartwood, 

 rather small in proportion to the size of the stem. It does 

 not split well. Termites do not attack it, but occasionally the 

 gigas borers make holes in it. It grows slowly and stands a 

 good deal of shade. It sprouts well from the stool and the 

 seed also grows fairly well. It grows in the damp, deep soil 

 and does not stand fire at all. It belongs to the evergreen 

 forest zone. 



This tree has not been cut for local use or exported to Europe. 

 It is used as firewood, and is considered better than most other 

 woods, even Ohia, Celtis sp. 



Oleaceae. 



Schrebera Golungensis. Hard Yellow Wood. Opele (Yoruba) ; 

 Udegwoga (?) (Benin). 



It is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria, Olokemeji 

 and Ilaro Reserves. 



It is a large tree, reaching a girth of about 10 feet. The 

 smooth, light-green bark with yellow patches differs from the 

 Celtis species, which is rougher, and the Afrormosia species, which 

 is orange-red and peels off. The leaves are small for the size 

 of the tree. The crown is narrow and long and the branches 

 forming it slender. The curious small pear-shaped dehiscent 

 fruit, showing four oblong niches for seeds, is most typical of the 

 tree. In other respects the habit and build of the tree is similar 

 to the Celtis species, especially with the root spurns slightly 

 corrugating the base of the bole. It is not a common tree, 

 but usually a fair number of specimens are seen in any locality 

 where it has been found. The bole is very straight and free 

 from branches for quite a height of the tree. 



The timber is a dull-yellow colour, fine grain, of smooth 

 texture and moderately hard. It planes to a smooth, 

 almost shining surface. It scarcely shrinks or warps when 

 drying. 



