GUIDE TO TIMBERS OF NIGERIA 19 



Density. No. 3109, 0-277 or about 17J Ib. per cubic foot. 

 Engler gives 0-44 or about 27-28 Ib. per cubic foot ; Chevalier, 

 0-281. 



BARK. " Greenish, smooth, a marked character " (Sim., 

 1909, p. 17). " Wrinkled, scaling in small plates with large 

 spines " (Chevalier, 1909, p. 188). 



USES, ETC. " Canoes, platters " (Unwin, p. 53). " The tree 

 has buttresses rising from the roots to a height of 3-4 metres 

 up the trunk ; wood of no use for paper-pulp on account of 

 its grey colour " (Chev., I.e.). W. J. Farrell, p. 22, suggests 

 the use of this wood for the making of violins, and says that 

 for strength, lightness and acoustic properties he has never 

 come across anything like it. Our specimens are possibly in 

 bad condition, as they are of very inferior wood. 



Triplochiton scleroxylon, K. Schum. Sterculiaceae (Trip- 

 lochitonaceae in Hooker's Icon. PL t. 2758). Gen. 

 No. 791A. 



Synonym : T. Johnsonii, Ch. Wright. We follow Chevalier 

 (1909, p. 257). 



LOCALITIES. Gold Coast, Togo, Ivory Coast, Nigeria. 



VERNACULAR NAMES. Arere (com. also to T. nigericum and 

 to a Palm Elceis ; Hofa ; Maple, African, bush ; Obeche ; 

 Obechi ; Owawa (not Owawe) ; Owa-wa ; Patabua ; Sama ; 

 Samba ; Sankamba ; Serama ; Satinwood (Liverpool market, 

 see Unwin, 1906, p. 352) ; Wa-wa (com.) ; Wawa ; WVw-waw. 



Description of the wood from a specimen, No. 3622 fct Arere," 

 received from the Government of Nigeria (Lagos). Our speci- 

 mens Nos. 3017 and 2799 HS. agree. 



GENERAL CHARACTERS. An exceedingly light and soft wood 

 of a very pale buff colour, with occasional slightly darker 

 stripes, corresponding to the apparent boundary of the rings. 

 Much resembling the wood of Ricinodendron. Surface dull ; 

 grain, coarse and open, but the number of the pores seen on 

 the surface is small ; direction of pores very oblique. Warm 

 and dry to the touch. Shade of the transverse section darker 

 when clean cut, but lighter when glass-papered. Smell, none. 

 Soils readily. 



STRUCTURE. Transverse section. (Prepared with glass-paper, 

 also clean cut with razor.) 



