60 GUIDE TO TIMBERS OF NIGERIA 



Density, No. 3000, 0-775, or about 48J Ib. per cu. ft. 

 3015, 0-.768 48 



2809, 0-787 49J 



1905, 0-753 47 



2008, 0-751 47 



3284, 0-872 54J 



Chevalier gives 0-676, or about 42J Ib. per cu. ft., but he 

 states that the tree is a small one of 57 metres in height by 

 0-15 to 0-20 m. diam., whereas our specimens indicate large 

 trees. 



Conservator's note. " A large evergreen tree of the evergreen 

 forests. Much used by the natives for canoes and planks, on 

 which account large trees are becoming scarce. Used by the 

 Public Works Department for flooring boards and general 

 joinery when they can obtain supplies. The timber is of a 

 golden yellow colour, easily worked and durable." 



Swamp Opepe. 



Rubiaceae. Gen. No. 3000. 



Is this Sarcocephalus sambucinus ? Unwin (1920, p. 404) 

 regards this as a different species, and says that the bark is less 

 scaly with very slight roughness or fissured surface ; wood not 

 so durable as that of the preceding species, and doubtfully 

 termite-proof. 



Description from a specimen, No. 3018, received from the 

 Government of Nigeria (Lagos) and listed as S. esculenlus, but 

 marked " Swamp Opepe." 



VERNACULAR NAMES associated with'S. sambucinus. Akuto- 

 basa ; Eben ; Ebengiku ; Kedjedjelo ; Nyimo ; Obiache ; 

 Opepe ; Opepe, swamp ; Tabu ; Yellow-wood. 



Our specimen No. 2814 HS. " Affna ; Affna sappa," from the 

 Gold Coast, is very near the present species.. 



GENERAL CHARACTERS. A hard and heavy wood of a bright 

 yellow colour, a little stripy, but otherwise uniform, much 

 resembling the common Opepe, but much finer in the grain. 

 Surface clean, dry, not cold to the touch. Cross-grained and 

 rips out during planing. Shade of transverse section when 

 cleaned much darker than that of the other sections, but on 

 a rough saw-cut light citron colour. Smell, none. 



STRUCTURE. Resembles that of many Rutaceous woods, 



