828 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 
market as African Walnut at 1d. per superficial foot. Since 
then, however, the qualities of this timber have become 
better known, and it now finds a ready sale at rates varying 
from 2d. to 5d. per superficial foot. Although it is a mahogany 
by family, it is usual to sell it as African Walnut, as the colour 
and texture of the wood are very similar to walnut. 
Native Use.—In the Benin province it has been used for 
canoe-making. 
Guarea Thompsonii. Cedar Mahogany, Cedar or Close-grained 
Mahogany. Sidu (Yoruba); Obobonikwi (Benin); Akpaku 
(Ibo Asaba). 
It is a large forest tree of the evergreen forest zone, 
attaining a girth of 12 feet, which is most commonly found 
in the Benin district of Nigeria. 
Chief Characteristics. —The trunk is dark-brown with 
smoothish bark, which has a tendency to scale off a little. 
The pinnate leaves are shiny and form very dsstinctive tufts 
at the ends of the branches, though not quite so much as in 
Entandrophragma. 
The fruit, which is quite soft, is a dehissent capsule, of 
a dark brown colour; when ripe, three blatk seeds covered 
with red pulp are released. The seeds are ellipsoid in shape 
and smaller than those of G. sp., Obobonu‘wa. The seed is 
nearly half an inch long and covered with white streaks follow- 
ing round its narrowest circumference. The crown is very thick 
and dense compared with G@. sp., Obobonufva. The bole length 
is shorter, and the shape of it is not so regular nor so round 
‘as that of G. sp., Obobonufwa. The crown is flatly spherical 
in shape, reaching fully a third of the total height of the tree. 
The flowers are yellow and borne in long spikes about 1 foot 
in length. 
The sapwood is white and the heart of a mahogany-brown 
colour, with a slightish red tinge whm freshly cut, which 
rapidly goes a light brown colour, thagh not such a light 
brown as in the case of G@. sp., Obobontfwa. It has a strong 
cedar scent when freshly cut, and ever the old wood retains 
this scent when planed up afresh. Tle grain is fine, though 
a little fibrous. The pores are long and pen. It has, however, 
a nice sheen, giving a better appearane than that of @. sp., 
Obobonufwa. It planes easily, but does not split very well. It 
takes nails fairly easily and saws wihout difficulty. It is 
not termite-proof. It has considerahe tensile strength and 
elasticity. In proportion the heartwood is very large and forms 
comparatively early in the life of th: tree. It has a closer 
grain than any of the mahogany of the Benin district. 
