THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 275: 
Pterocarpus Soyauxti. Large Fruited Camwood. Arakpa, Ume 
(Benin) ; Ukpa (Efik). 
It is found in the Ogoja, Benin, Warri (?), Ondo, Ibadan (?) 
and Abeokuta (?) provinces of Nigeria. 
It is a common tree in the mixed deciduous forests, reach- 
ing a height of 80 to 100 feet, with a bole length of 50 feet and 
a girth of 10 feet. The bark is a darker colour than P. Osun, 
but a little rougher. The leaf is smaller than P. Osun, but 
is unarmed. The most typical difference in this tree is the 
fruit, which is the largest of all, 2} to 3 inches in diameter, 
with plenty of prickly thorns in the centre of each surface. 
The wood is a much darker red, quite a dull, almost purple 
red. The root spurns on the whole extend higher up the trunk 
than P. Osun (up to 4 feet). The slash is white, but thin red 
latex soon exudes out of it. 
The wood is hardish, but the sapwood is very white and 
soft. The wood does not make the same kind of stain as P. 
Osun, though apparently it keeps its colour much better than 
P. Osun. When exposed to light, P. Osun loses it very quickly 
and becomes a dull-brown colour. The grain is open and 
varies a little in colour, giving it a pleasing effect. Termites do 
not attack it. It splits well. 
It sprouts from the stump slightly, but such shoots do not 
attain any size. Seedlings come up readily from fallen seeds. 
The seeds are liable to be eaten by the “‘ ground pig” almost 
at once. It grows moderately quickly, but is a light-lover. 
It has an undivided stem. 
Samples were sent to Liverpool in 1916 and sold as African 
Padauk, and it was reported that “small quantities sell ”’ 
satisfactorily. It has been cut for local use for buildings. 
Native Use.—It is used for making wooden shovels, all 
out of one piece. Also in house-building as wall-plates at 
the top of the mud walls, also in the Oba’s house for 
uprights. 
Erythrophleum sp. Sasswood. Inyi (Benin). 
This tree was determined from material from the Central 
Circle. 
— Erythrophlewm Guineense. Sasswood, or Sassy Bark, or Ordeal 
Bark. Erun obo (Yoruba); Oginyi (Benin); Akpa Etuidiwi 
(Efik); Arachi (Ibo, Asaba); Inyi, Ibo (Onitsha, Ibo, 
Owerri). 
It is found in the Ibadan, Abeokuta, Ondo, Benin, Onitsha 
and Ogoja provinces of Nigeria in the mixed deciduous 
forest zone, where it is often very prevalent, more especially 
north of Ifon and Alabeta in the Benin province. 
