260 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 
the evergreen forest and lower parts of the mixed deciduous 
forest. It has not yet received a place in the forest 
plantations. 
Samples of the timber have been tried in England and 
used with good effect as a substitute for American “‘ White- 
wood,” to which it is similar in texture. Its small size rather 
hinders its more extensive use. In the Benin district it 
is used as cross-pieces and rafters in building ; wooden shovels 
are also made from it. It is occasionally used to make a 
yellow dye, especially the bark. Native caps are made from 
the bark, which is fibrous. It is also used for verandah-posts 
and door-frames. 
Dennettia tripetala. Igberi (Yoruba); Ako (Benin). 
It is a common tree in the Benin, Ondo (?) and Abeokuta 
provinces of Nigeria. — 
It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a maximum girth of 
6 feet, with a short bole and a much-branched crown. Most 
commonly seen as a shrub-like tree in the mixed deciduous 
forest. The flower has three petals, with red colour inside 
and brown outside. The flowers grow on the stem or the 
twigs with little or no stalk, usually two or three in one 
place. 
The timber, which is white and soft, is eaten by termites. 
There is no proper heartwood. 
It is a shade-bearer, and rather slow-growing tree. It 
likes good soil, and is rather an indication of a loose, good 
and deep soil. 
It has not been exported or used locally. 
Native Use.—The fruit, which has a peppery taste, is eaten. 
The chiefs only eat the fruit after it has become red and really 
ripe. The small boys use the new young leaves uncooked to 
make the mouth warm when the rain falls. 
Dennettia sp. Agedegbo, Ako (Benin). 
This tree was determined from specimens obtained in the 
early part of 1917 from Olokemeji, where it is somewhat common. 
Owing to the fact that only immature and mature fruiting 
specimens were sent, it may be identical with Dennettia tripetala. 
It is, however, a much smaller tree, and the fruit is not nearly 
so large and is a more oblong shape than D. tripetala. It is 
a small, much-branched tree and yields a hard, whitish-yellow 
wood which might be used as substitute for lancewood. The 
Benis eat the fruit, but the Yorubas have no use for the tree. 
Xylopia Aithiopica. Negro Pepper. Eru (Yoruba) ; Unie (Benin) ; 
Atta (Efik). 
Is a medium-sized tree with silvery smooth, grey trunk, 
