326 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 
in November, when the flowers, which are of a light-greenish 
colour, appear, and then the leaves. 
The sapwood is white and comparatively wide, except in 
very old trees. The wood, when freshly cut, smells slightly 
like a red herring, and in colour is not unlike the flesh of 
kippered herring. 
The heartwood is of a red-brown colour, rather dulling on 
exposure to the air and becoming a dark-brown colour. The 
pores are very long, much more so than either in the Z. utilis 
or the Khaya genus. The timber splits well, saws easily, and 
takes nails moderately well. It is not always easy to plane 
it down to a smooth surface. It has a distinct tendency to 
warp unless properly seasoned. It is not termite-proof, but 
the attacks of the white ants are slow. The sapwood is more 
commonly attacked byalymexylon. For interior work it is very 
durable ; sometimes it has a very pretty, dull-brown wavy sheen. 
Natural regeneration is good in many places. Isolated 
trees have been planted and small plantations made in different 
parts of the country. The growth on the whole is even more 
rapid than in the case of H#. utilis. In favourable localities 
it will exceed an annual height growth of 7 feet. Although 
it will stand a considerable amount of shade in its youth, it 
is more of a light-loving tree in old age. It is a soil-protecting 
and soil-improving tree. 
This is one of the chief mahoganies exported from the 
Benin and Sapeli forests, but it does not attain such an average 
high price as that of the Khaya genus. However, from all 
accounts it appears that the majority of figured logs have been 
obtained from this species; this compensates to some extent 
the disadvantage of this being the heaviest wood of all the 
mahoganies. It often floats just level with the water, and has 
sometimes been known to sink. In pre-war days it used to 
fetch 4d. per superficial foot, and the best market for it was 
in Hamburg ; but, as also in the case of L. utilis, the wood was 
supplied to the markets in Austria, Russia, etc. It is common 
to make three logs each 30 feet long from the bole. Both 
this tree and £. utilis yield some of the best curls which are 
obtained from the mahogany. 
The local people used to be very fond of using this tree 
for making canoes, and I have seen a canoe over 80 feet long 
and having a draught of over 6 feet. It has also been largely 
used in house-building. 
Lovoa Klaineana. African Walnut. Abuwe (Yoruba) ; Ikwahobo, 
or usually known amongst the timber men and forest officers 
as Anamomilla in Benin, Apobo (Jekri, Tjor). 
