738 



pulpy covering (perianth) and 



ordinary- 



pulp adhering to the nuts. This yield is said to be almost as large 

 as that of the " Abobo-be " (var. tenera) of the Gold Coast or 

 the " Asogejub " (var. tenera) of S. Nigeria. The yield of kernels 

 in the sample examined was low, being only 12-9 per cent, 

 expressed on the fruits as received (Bull. Imp. Inst. 1913, p. 218). 

 Specimens of the spadices and fruits of this variety were sent 

 to Kew in Nov. 1912; from the Director of Agriculture, 

 S. Nigeria. 



var. rostrata, Becc. I.e. p. 50. Fruit light red, shading off to 

 claret colour at the end (Kew Bull, I.e. p. 38). 



Vernac. names .—[Mb &nsi Eyop (Eifik, Old Calabar), Ekububa 

 (Ibo), Ayarambana Eyop (Ibibio) Thomjjson, Hitchens, Beccari.] 



The varieties macro^phylla , Chev.— the Abu-be or Abubube of 

 the Gold Coast, macrocarpa, Chev., pisifera, Chev. and repanda^ 

 Chev.— a variety with green-tinted fruits— do not appear to have- 

 been recorded from Nigeria. 



West Coast of Africa— Gambia to the Cameroons and Angola ; 

 eastward to Lake Nyasa and Zanzibar. Cultivated experi- 

 mentally in most botanical gardens in the Tropical Colonies- 

 Malaya, Ceylon, India, Queensland, West Indies, etc. ; in Borneo 

 (KewBuU. 1889, pp. 259-267); Sarawak (I.e. 1909, p. 180), also 

 in Sumatra. , - 



Oil from the pericarp is an important article of food in West 

 Africa, where it is also used for cooking. purposes and to some 

 extent as an illuminant— for instance, in the neighbourhood of 

 Itu, Cross River, the producers use it for this purpose, but those 

 who have to buy jBnd kerosene cheaper (Nig. Customs & Trade 

 Journ. July 2nd, 1913, p. 361), in Badagry (Lagos) such use is 

 rapidly dying out (I.e. p. 360) and in Oshogbo (S. Prov. Nigeria) 

 " kernel oil " is reported to be used to dilute " palm oil " as an 

 illuminant (I.e. p. 363). Palm Kernels are also Used locaUy for 

 food in Nigeria, though apparently hmited— the districts of 

 Arochuku and Ubiaja only being mentioned in the special report 

 called for by the Commercial Intelligence Officer {seq.) S. Nigeria 

 (I.e. p. 363) and Kernel oil is used locally in some districts— in 

 Arochuku by the women for mixing with " Camwood " (.see 

 Pterocarpus, p. 241; and Baphia, p. 246) for rubbing on their 



rubbing 



as 



and in Ogwashi Oku 



emoUient and medicinally (I.e. p. 363). The use of pahn oil for 



trial by Ordeal is now prohibited by law. 



The Kernel oil or fat is used in Europe for purposes much 

 the same as those of the Coconut Oil, in the manufacture of 

 margarine and the residual cake is an important feeding stuff 

 for stock. The Pericarp Oil or *' Palm Oil "—so important as a 

 food m West Africa, is used in Europe and generally as a lubricant 

 and in soap and candle manufacture. 



The fibre from the leaflets has some loca^ value for fish-nets, 

 and cordage, and fly-whisks are made of the midribs of the leaves 



