91 



Yields a gum closely resembling Tragacanth (Astragalus 

 gummifer), and often comes into commerce as an adulterant of 

 Gum Arabic (Acacia arabica and A. Senegal). In French Guinea 

 the roasted seeds are used as a medicine for stomach complaints, 

 and the bark of the young branches is used as a tying material. 

 The wood is used for planks, posts, and constructive work 

 (Pobeguin, Fl. Guin. Franc, p. 74). 



The specific gravity of the dry wood is 0*8. In St. Thomas the 

 wood is sold at prices varying from 30 to 40 milreis (Is. 3d. to Is. 8c/. 

 approx.) per cubic metre (Moller, Tropenpfl. 1902, p. 373). 



Firmiana, Marsigli. 



Firmiana Barteri, K. Schum. in Engl. & Prantl, Pflan. iii. pt. 6> 

 1895, p. 97. 



[Sterculia Barteri, Mast, in Oliv. Fl. Trop. A6r. i. 1868, p. 218.] 



///.—Hook. Ic. PI. t. 2277 (Sterculia Barteri). 



Vernac. name. — Eso or Esho (S. Nigeria, Bull. Imp. Inst. 1908, 

 p. 316). 



Yields a fibre, a sample of which, examined at the Imperial 

 Institute, has been described as strong, harsh and woody, with a 

 possible value of about £L5 to £20 per ton, for ropemaking (Bull. 

 Imp. Inst. I.e.). Rope made of the fibre is extensively employed 

 by the natives for tying up bundles of Cola nuts (Col. Rep. Misc. 

 No. 51, 1908, p. 62). 



The wood is light, and used for fish-net floats (Barter, Herb. 

 Kew). 



Cola, Schott. 



Cola acuminata, Schott. & Endl. ; Fl. Trop. Afr. I. p. 220. 



[Cola vera, K. Schum. Sterculiaceae, Afr. 1900, p* 125.] 



Ill, — Pal. de Beauv. Fl. Ow. Ben. i. t. 24 (Sterculia, acuminata) ; 

 Karst. Fl. Columb. i. t. 69 (Siphoniopsis monoica) ; Bot. Mag. 

 t. 5699 ; Heckel, Kolas Afr. p. 22 (group of trees), p. 24, and t. 1, 

 ff. 1-7 (Cotyledons and their structure), t. 2 (young plant), t. 3, 

 ff. 17-20; Ibid in Ann. Inst, Col. Marseille, 1893; Christy, New 

 Coram. V\. and Drugs, No. 3, 1880, p. 20 (Sterculia acuminata), 

 No. 8, 1885, p. 5 ; Engl. & Prantl, Pflan. iii. pt. 6, f. 50 (after 

 Karst. Fl. Columb.) ; Kohler, Med. Pflan. iii. tt, 19-20 ; Tropenpfl. 



1900, p. 220 (Cola vera) ; Cat. PL Hort. Col. Brux. p. 67 ; Engl. 

 Monogr. Afr. Pflan. Sterculiaceae, p. 126, f. 3 (after Karst, Fl. 

 Columb.) ; Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berl. iii. 1900, t. 1 A-F ; Tropenpfl. 



1901, p. 356, f. 3 (fruit of Gbanja-Kola) ; p. 363, f. 5 (tree of Gbanja- 

 Kola, 2 years old) ; p. 365, f. 7 (tree of Abata-Kola, 5 years old) ; 

 Pobeguin, Fl. Guin. Franc, t. 67 ; Karst. & Schenck, Veg. bild. iv. 

 t. 30 (Sterculia acuminata). 



Vernac. names. — Gonja (Foulah, Barter) ; Atara (Kabba, 

 Elliott) ; Gbanjakola, Abatakola (Yoruba, Bemegau, Dawodu) ; 

 Coleira (Angola, De Wildeman), Noix de Gouro (Ivory Coast, 

 Pobeguin, Kohler, Planchon tt' Collin) ; Ombene (PUmchon A 

 Collin, Kohle?*) ; Byssi (Jamaica, Morris). 



