462 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



is Ochrocarpus Africanus, which has the large edible fruit known as 

 the African Mammee Apple. This also yields large nuts of an uncertain 

 value, which are apparently oil or fat bearing, 



Garcinia conrauna. — The nuts of this, the false or bitter Cola, besides 

 yielding an edible fruit, are used locally, but further investigations 

 would show whether they would obtain a regular market as an export 

 jjroduct. 



Polygalaceae, " Cheyi " seed, Poly gala butyracea, Heck. — This is 

 a common herbaceous plant of West Africa. The seeds yield a valu- 

 able edible fat. They are about a fifth of an inch long and a tenth 

 of an inch broad. The seeds are of a brownish-black outside and 

 a greenish-yellow inside. According to the investigations of the 

 Imperial Institute " the seeds yielded 39-7 per cent, of a soft yellowish 

 fat. The taste of it was pleasant, and there was no odour." According 

 to the Imperial Institute analysis the " Cheyi " fat showed : 



Melting-point 



Specific gravity at 100/15-5° C. 



Acid value . . 



Saponification value 



Iodine value 



Titer test . . 



Hehner value 



Reichert-Meissl value 



Present Sample. 



36° C. 

 0-866 

 1-24 

 251-0 

 52-5 



37-85° C. 

 85-6 

 45-6 



Results previously 

 Recorded. 



11-4 



253-0 



49-4 



45-5 



" The edible fat manufacturers stated that ' Cheyi ' fat was suit- 

 able for their purpose if it could be proved that it did not contain 

 a poison, and valued the seeds at £13 to £14 per ton. The oil- 

 seed crushers valued the seeds at £12 per ton in the United 

 Kingdom." 



N.O. Bixacese, according to Thonner, Flacourtiacese, Oncoba echinata, 

 Oliver. — This tree bears a large number of seeds, which are known as 

 " Gorli " seeds. The seeds are long and irregularly shaped, and vary 

 from a quarter to three-eighths of an inch long, and from one-eighth 

 to three-sixteenths of an inch broad. The stiff husk is brown in colour. 

 The seeds without husks are white, waxy and soft. According to 

 the Imperial Institute investigations the seeds contain 46-6 of fat, 

 which is hard, white and crystalline. Although the soap made from 

 it was satisfactory, it did not lose the very peculiar odour which the 

 fat has. The cake and fat cannot be used as a food because of the large 

 amount of chaulmoogric acid contained in it, an acid which causes 

 vomiting. The fat might possibly be of value in candle-making. 

 According to the Imperial Institute analysis the seeds showed : 



