THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 331 
Amongst the natives it is occasionally used as a house- 
building timber, the tree having a fork at a convenient distance 
from the ground. 
Trichilia Prieuriana. Awe, Eriagbo (Yoruba); Igogo (Benin) ; 
Somabari (Oban, Ekoi). 
Chief Characteristics —It is a dark-foliaged tree, usually 
found dominated in the mixed forest, with thin, scaly bark 
and thin, long leaves, with four or five pairs of pinne. The 
seeds are reminiscent of Guarea. 
Distribution.—It is found in the mixed deciduous forests 
of the Abéokuta, Ibadan and Benin provinces of Nigeria. 
Timber.—It has a hard, red heartwood of close grain 
and white sapwood ; it does not shrink nor warp to any 
extent. 
It is a slow-growing, shade-bearing, soil-protecting and 
soil-improving tree. Natural regeneration appears to be poor, 
perhaps owing to the fact that the seeds decay very rapidly 
when lying in the ground. 
In the dry season the dew condenses very readily on this 
tree, and thus makes the ground very moist underneath. 
It does not reach really export timber size. It has not 
been used either for export or locally. However, for smaller 
constructional work it deserves a trial. 
Turrea Vogeliit. Asha omode (Yoruba); Ovioza (Benin). 
It is rather an uncommon tree of the Benin province of 
Nigeria. It is quite small, only attaining a girth of about 
2 feet. It usually stands in the shade as part of the under- 
growth of the evergreen forest. 
The natives have no particular use for it. 
Turrea heterophylla. 
This tree is found in the Abeokuta province of Nigeria. 
It is a small tree which has been specially noticed in the Ilaro 
Forest Reserve. The Yorubas do not have any special use 
for this species of Meliaceez. It is considerably harder than 
either mahogany or cedar mahogany. 
Ekebergia Senegalensis (Juss.). 
It is a medium-sized tree found in the Abeokuta province 
of Nigeria. It is distinguished by its white flowers, and is 
found growing in the Olokemeji Arboretum. The leaves are 
large for Meliacee, but the position of the flower-stalk and 
the bark are typical of this family. The natives have not 
used the wood thus far. It would make rather an ornamental 
shrub-like tree in a garden. 
Melia Azedarach. Bead Tree or Persian Lilac. Eke Oyinbo 
(Yoruba). 
