V 



PREFACE. 



known 



The accompanymg account of Nigerian Economic Pknts 

 iias been complied with the object of supplying in an accessible 

 lorm the mformation regarding all the useful plants— native 

 and mtroduced— known to occur in the region under considera- 

 tion. Much has been published regarding these plants at 

 ditterent times and in various places, and it is hoped that by 

 bringing together all that is ' ■ 



His Majesty's Service, Trac , ^ _ .,^.^.^ ^^^ 



or inclination may call to the country, may haveTn a comie" ted 

 lorm the means of readily obtaining a knowledge of the subject. 

 Ihose who wish to go more deeply into the matter than the 

 present work does, may, it is hoped, find that the copious 

 references given will enable them to do so. 



The Genera Plantarum (Bentham & Hooker) is followed as 

 regards the sequence of arrangement of the Families and Genera • 

 the Species are arranged alphabetically and the Index Kewensis is 

 largely taken as the authority for the scientific names. In cases 

 where botanical descriptions can be conveniently referred to 

 in the Flora of Tropical Africa it has not been considered 

 necessary to reproduce them, for it is assumed that this Flora, 

 to which the present work is intended as an Economic complement^ 

 will be in the hands of everyone who may study the subject ; but 

 when plants belonging to Nigeria are not described in the Flora, 

 a description, taken either from its original or a more convenient 

 source, is given herein. No responsibility is accepted for native 

 names, which are quoted with the authority in italics. Articles 

 bearing on the subject that have already appeared in the Kew 

 Bulletin are quoted freely or with such modifications as appeared 

 necessary or advisable. 



Embodied in the work are references to plants that have 

 been figured in the Botanical Magazine (abbreviated " Bot. 



(the publication began 



Mag 



in 1787) obtained by collectors in West Africa 



Kew or in other Botanic 



raised in Private Gardens in this country. Though chiefly of 

 horticultural value, they arc in many cases of economic value 

 and some are of commercial importance. 



References to illustrations of the plants mentioned are given 

 wherever this has been found possible, together wdth references 

 to books and important articles that have appeared in periodicals 

 devoted to plants. These specific works it has not been con- 



necessary 



X 13721 



b 



