FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 437 



well as all sorts of basket-work, mats, &c. The leaves 

 are also used for roofing.- — ' On the Palms of Western 

 Tropical Africa,' Mann and Wendland (as above), 

 p. 425. 



Distribution : Upper Guinea, and cultivated. 



Raphia Welwitschii, Wendl. — The epidermis of the 

 leaflets is used by the natives of South West Tropical 

 Africa in the manufacture of cloths, &c. — ' On the 

 Palms of Western Tropical Africa,' Mann and Wend- 

 land (as above), p. 425. 



Distribution : Upper Guinea. 



Bamboo Palm {Raphia vinifera, Beauv.). — The 

 petioles of this palm are employed as poles on which 

 to carry palanquins, and roofing made of the leaflets 

 is said to last for three years. A loom formed of 

 the petioles from the Gold Coast, and a broom made 

 of the midribs of the leaves from Sierra Leone are 

 shewn in the Kew Museum, as are also some neatly 

 made baskets of the leaves, collected by the Niger 

 Expedition. The seeds are occasionally imported 

 into this country as oil seeds. — ' On the Palms of 

 Western Tropical Africa,' Mann and Wendland (as 

 above), p. 425. Kew Museum. 



Distribution : Upper Guinea. 



Ancistrophyllum secundiflorum, M. and W. {Calaimis 

 secundijlorus, Beauv.). — The Bafan people take large 

 quantities of Ancistrophyllum with them as food 



