306 
WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 
and may yet be found in the Onitsha and northern part of 
the Benin provinces. On the whole, it is not common, and is 
seen singly. Two typical specimens of this tree stand in the 
Olokemeji Reserve Arboretum. It has small, pinnate leaves, 
very much like tamarind, but they are almost silvery-grey and 
hang down, instead of being green and rigid, as the tamarind. 
The twigs and branches are very slight, compared to the thick 
ones of the tamarind. The bark of the trunk is grey, too, with 
thin cortex, which becomes slightly fissured in old age. The 
trunk is straight and tall, compared to tamarind. The crown 
is longish and thin, with a few small branches. It is somewhat 
feathery in habit and is delicate in build compared to most 
dry-zone trees. It is one of the most typical of dry-zone 
trees. The seed is small, about the size of apple-pips, contained 
in a papery pod, from 1 inch to 1} inches long. It stands the 
annual grass-fires comparatively well, despite the fact that 
the bark is none too thick. 
Timber.—Hard, white wood, termite-proof and very durable. 
The bark is thin but rough, and small pieces can be pulled 
off with the fingers. It is a deciduous tree, though it does 
not lose its leaves for a long period. It is a light-loving tree, 
which does not protect the soil, though the leaves (few as they 
are) make a good leaf-mould. It is slow-growing, and does 
not reach a girth exceeding 5 feet. Natural regeneration 
appears to be poor, but further observations on this point 
may disclose more. No plantations have been made with this 
tree, though, with its desirable qualities, some experiments 
seem to be indicated. It does not sprout well from the stump, 
nor do any root shoots appear before or after it is cut down. 
It has not been exported, and has only been used occa- 
sionally locally. 
Use.—The timber has been used for sleepers in Togo, where 
it has proved the most durable of all timbers for that purpose. 
In the Yoruba country it has been used for making charcoal 
of the best kind for iron-smelting. 
Detarium Senegalense. Hard Mahogany. Ogwega (Benin). 
This is none too prevalent a tree of the Benin and Ogoja 
provinces, where it is found in the mixed forests. It reaches 
a girth of over 12 feet and a bole length of over 40 feet, but 
in proportion to its height, the crown usually occupies more 
than half of it. The crown is usually widespreading and 
spherical in shape. The fruit is like a mango in form, but 
after the surface begins to decay, the fibres, instead of being 
fine and all coming out from the central nut, as in the mango, 
spread out vein-shaped all round the nut, starting more or 
