THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 267 
sap and heart wood, and it is hard and tough, not splitting 
at all easily. 
It is a somewhat slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting 
and soil-improving tree, said to be termite-proof. It has 
considerable resiliency, and stands a certain amount of bending 
strain. 
The timber has not been used for export, nor has it been 
sawn up for planks for local use. 
Native Use.—The Yorubas use the timber for making 
mortars for food. 
Parinarium sp. Red Mahogany. Abue (Egbado, Yoruba); Da- 
badogun (Benin). 
It is plentiful in the Benin and the Abeokuta provinces 
of Nigeria. 
Chief Characteristics.—It grows into a large tree, but is 
often seen as a small tree, suppressed by other quicker-growing 
trees. The dense, somewhat spreading crown is a typical 
feature of the tree. Its large leaves attract attention, espe- 
cially compared to the size of the tree. The bole is often crooked 
and covered with dark green cortex, with only a limited amount 
of fine bark. 
It has a hard, red wood, not unlike mahogany, but with 
a more fibrous grain. It is durable, especially when left in a 
wet place. It works up with a good surface and very pleasing 
colour, making it thoroughly worthy of being a substitute for 
mahogany. Being a shade-bearer, soil-protecting and _ soil- 
improving tree, it should eventually find a place in the forest 
plantations. Despite its slow growth, its other silvicultural 
qualities are worthy of attention. 
It has not yet been exported, not has it been felled for 
local use. For the former it appears to deserve a trial. 
Native Use.—It is used for firewood. 
Parinarium robustum. Sometimes called Mahogany Nuts, Nikko 
Nuts ; Benin Mahogany. Ugibisaro (Benin) ; Aiyeni (Egbado) ; 
Aiye, Aghaghe, Aiyeni (Yoruba). 
It is found in the Abeokuta and Benin provinces of Nigeria, 
in the evergreen forest zone, where it is not very prevalent. 
It is a large forest tree, reaching a girth of over 12 feet and 
a bole length of about 70 feet. In the dry season, in the dis- 
tance, the leaves show the typical dried-up yellow appearance 
of the Parinariums, especially being somewhat shiny in appear- 
ance. The fruit is not unlike a very large, very dark green 
plum, but rather more flattened and not so round. The inside 
nut is compressedly spherical, showing five large eyes or holes 
out of which seeds germinate. 
