418 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



v.'ith their dense evergreen forests up to an altitude of 5,000 feet. 

 Amongst the more valuable trees are the Cola {Cola laterita), Cam- 

 wood {Pterocarpus Soyauxii), Albizzia species, Ibadan, Ficus Vogelii. 

 Below this point, at about 4,000 feet, Iroko, Cldorophora excelsa, Cork- 

 wood, Musanga Smithii, and tree-ferns reappear, as well as Acacia 

 Farnesiana. The Wild Date, Phcenix sp., occurs again about this 

 altitude. The Oil Palm occurs again in the valleys. On the lower 

 slopes there are Ricinodendron, Bombax, Sarcocephalus, and Trema. 

 Continuing farther northwards we have the Bambuto Ranges, with 

 their fringing forests on the banks of the streams, and the bamboo 

 groves at an elevation of about 8,000 feet. Willows and small Abys- 

 sinian plants are found, and with the flowering of Delphiniums in the 

 grass we might almost be in Europe. Toward the Cross River side, the 

 mountains are very steep, and isolated peaks, such as that of Monkwa 

 Rock, stand out in solitary grandeur amongst the lower forested 

 mountains of the Cross River. In the Cross River basin we have 

 mainly six large rivers, all joining the Cross River. On the right or 

 northern bank these are the Manyu, Mo, Manya, and Oyi, above 

 Mamfe, and on the left or southern bank the Mbu and Manja, as 

 well as the Awa, joining below Mamfe. All except one of these rise 

 amongst the forests, and it is on the banks of these that the finest 

 forests are situated, although in some parts, such as near Tinto, the 

 natives have been more active in farming and have cleared large 

 areas of them. This is more the case nearer the villages, and 

 nearer the roads, even where the forest has been cut down, there are 

 almost continuous groves of Oil Palms, less than a quarter of its 

 produce having as yet been collected or sold. Amongst the most 

 valuable timber trees of these forests are the Ebony (Diospyros), Bush 

 Teak {Chlorophora excelsa), African Whitewood {Enantia chlorantha) , 

 Camwood {Pterocarpus Soyauxia), Bilinga {Afzelia Africana), Hard- 

 wood {Millettia sp.), Sapeli Mahogany {Entandrophragma Candollei), 

 Light Mahogany {Canarium Mansfeldii), Hardwood {Newtonia Zenkeri), 

 Wild Mango {Irvingia Barteri), Mukonja {Terminalia superba com- 

 bretacece). White Cedar {Pycnanthus Kombo), Red Oak {Berlinia acu- 

 minata), Berlinia species with very large pod, three species of Walnut, 

 Albizzias, Red Ironwood {Lophira procera), African Wood Oil Nut 

 Tree {Ricinodendron Africana), Parinarium sp. {Dialium). 



The range of hills Nda Ali is also forest-covered and is situated 

 in the Cross River basin. 



More or less adjacent to these areas, and partly between these and 

 the Meme River forest, are those of Gonistan and the Rumpi Moun- 

 tains. These again are quite untouched, although, lying some distance 

 away from navigable rivers, they may subsequently prove of greater 

 value when eventually opened up with the forest tramway or other 

 means of transport. The species of trees found here are very 



