264 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 
timber is hard, with a certain amount of rigidity, and yet has 
no resilience. 
It is a slow-growing tree and shade-bearer. Judging by 
the number of small trees found, reproduction from seed must 
be good. It does not sprout from the stool, and root suckers 
are thrown up after the trees have been felled. It likes moist 
and deep soil, which must be moderately good, e.g. the red 
soil of Benin and sandy loam of Badagry district. 
In 1906 samples of the wood were sold in the Liverpool 
market as Sabicu and realized 1s. to 2s. per superficial foot. 
It has also been used for European house-building in the 
Calabar province. 
Native Use.—It is chiefly used for making paddles. It is 
also used for joists and posts by the Benin people. 
Uvaria Chame (Kew). Eruju (Yoruba). 
It is a large shrub with sweet-scented flowers. Lagos 
Island. 
Artabotrys sp. Ako gbogbonshe (Yoruba). 
It is found in the Olokemeji Reserve of the Abeokuta 
province of Nigeria. 
Monodora tenuifolia. African Nutmeg. Lakosin (?) (Yoruba) ; 
Unyenghen (Benin). 
In younger trees there are a few narrow white streaks in 
the dull green bark, which gives it quite a distinctive appearance. 
Chief Characteristics.—It is a medium-sized tree with yellow 
flowers tinged with white, most conspicuous after they have 
fallen to the ground. The flower has three petals with 
wavy edges, and reminds most people of an orchid. In fact, 
many have asked whether it is not an orchid. The leaves 
are light green, especially on the under-side, though darker 
as the rainy season advances. The fruit is a spherical drupe, 
containing several small nuts or seeds. The tree flowers before 
the leaves come fully out, so that it looks very handsome 
indeed. It is, in fact, one of the prettiest of all the flowering 
trees. It flowers at the end of February or at the beginning 
of March. It reaches a girth of about 2 feet and a bole length 
of about 10 feet, though it is often much branched from about 
4 feet from the ground. 
It is quite common in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria, 
especially in the Olokemeji Reserve and on the road between 
that place and Mamu, in the Benin province, as well as being 
found in the mixed deciduous forest zone. 
The timber is hard and white and fairly durable. It is 
tough and does not split well. 
Although it stands a little shade it is a somewhat slow- 
