248 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 
It is a medium-sized tree up to 4 feet in girth, with medium. 
sized, thin leaves and white-coloured twigs. The stem is 
slightly scaly and yellowish-green in colour, especially in the 
upper parts. A very common tree in the deciduous forest. 
With its yellowish-green bark in the upper part of the bole 
it is very similar to Opele, Schrebera Golungensis, and can often 
be mistaken for it. The trunk, however, is not slightly pitted, 
as is the case with Schrebera. On the whole, this tree is shorter, 
reaching a height of about 40 feet. The root buttresses are 
much slighter than in the case of C. solenostigma, though 
they are of a similar shape, being very thin and merging 
gradually into the trunk to a height of about 5 feet from the 
ground. 
Timber is white and fairly hard, but not durable. It 
hardens somewhat on exposure to the air. The texture of 
the grain is fine, but occasionally cross-grained. It planes 
moderately well, and takes nails moderately well also, more 
so than C. solenostigma. It saws easily and splits well. 
As a firewood it burns steadily and slowly, giving out great 
heat. It does not crackle nor cause sparks. 
It is a moderately fast growing, at first shade-bearing, 
and subsequently a light-demanding tree. During most of its 
life it is a soil-protecting and soil-improving tree. Natural 
regeneration is good. It sprouts a little from the stump, 
but not strong enough for purposes of reproduction. 
The timber has not been exported, nor has it been sawn 
up for planks for local use. Being smaller than C. soleno- 
stigma, after trial it may not be found so useful, but it could 
be used for similar purposes. 
Native Use.—Firewood of the best kind, and occasionally 
used as side house-posts. 
Trema Africana. African Elm. Ehunogo, Ehrunbogo (Benin) ; 
Affi (Ibadan and Oyo); Afoforo (Egba); Offun (Lagos). 
It is found in the Abeokuta, Ibadan and Benin provinces 
of Nigeria, in the mixed deciduous forests, where it is moder- 
ately prevalent. 
It is a medium-sized tree with nettle-like leaves, which wither 
rapidly. It has a very thin, smooth bark. The fruit is small, 
thin and long, and is eaten by pigeons. It grows up where 
old trees fall in the forest, and is also a common tree in old 
farms. Medium-sized specimens are in general appearance, 
from a little distance, very similar to Iroko, and it can be mis- 
taken for this tree. The crown, however, is narrower, and the 
foliage is somewhat thicker, and the leaves and branches are 
placed rather closer together than those of Iroko. The bark 
