THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 315 
the centre of the fruit there is an oblong nut rather more than 
1 inch in length, more or less round, with four ribbed edges, 
all culminating at the apex. The leaves are large, consisting 
of four to six pairs of pinne, which are shiny and dark-green 
on the upper surface, and almost silver-grey underneath. The 
trunk is often very much cut about and chipped, and little 
pieces of the white gum are often seen in the old scars. It 
usually bears fruit heavily every year. 
The sapwood is white and the heartwood is of a faint pink 
colour. It is not very hard, but more like mahogany in texture 
and character. Owing to its irregular growth and branching 
habit, it is often rather knotty and cross-grained. 
It is a shade-bearing, somewhat slow-growing tree, which 
only partially protects the soil, but on the whole improves 
it with its fall of leaves. Natural regeneration appears to be 
rare, chiefly perhaps owing to the fact that the natives pick 
the fruit even before it is quite ripe, and take it away to 
eat in their houses. It is usually planted by the natives as 
a transplanted seedling, about 3 feet high. Considering the 
poor flavour of the fruit, it is rather surprising that it is so 
widely planted and comparatively speaking so much tended 
by the natives in certain districts. It is moderately fire-resist- 
ing and dew-collecting, especially in the dry seasons, the ground 
in the vicinity of the trees often being quite damp with the 
condensed dew falling off the leaves. 
It has not been felled for export or for local use. The 
tree, however, provides grateful shade in the more open parts 
of the country, in the neighbourhood of villages. 
The gum has not been collected for export, but is con- 
sidered of value. However, no tapping experiments have been 
tried. 
Native Use.—The fruit is called a pear, and is liked by most 
natives, who eat it raw. It is sometimes sold in the markets 
at five for one penny. 
Canarium Schweinfurthii. Pink Mahogany, Bastard Mahogany. 
Sometimes sold as Gaboon Mahogany or African Elemi. Anikan- 
tuhu, Ako, Ibagbo (Yoruba); Onumukyukyu (Benin); also 
known as Ikwapbo. (The Benin name means Kyukyu or bird, 
Onumu or Incense-tree.) 
Chief Characteristics.—Evenly striated bark of orange to 
light-yellow colour, turning grey on exposure to full rays of 
the sun. The seed is small and similar to that of Pachylobus 
edulis, but much smaller. 
Distribution.—A few in the Western, more in the Central 
west and south of Benin, and most common in the Eastern 
