139 



and extract oil from the kernel by roasting ; they mix the oil 

 with red clay and use the mixture as an unguent for the body 

 (Grant, Trans. Linn. Soc. xxix. p. 43). " Balaninum," one of the 

 ingredients (on the authority of Pliny) in the celebrated Spikenard 

 perfume, is believed to have been furnished by this tree (Sawer, 

 Odorographia, p. 278). 



A sample of oil from N. Nigeria examined at the Imperial 

 Institute had the following characters : — Specific gravity 0*919 ; 

 acid value 5'0 ; saponification value 1967 : iodine value 92*5 ; 

 Hehner value 95*2 ; unsaponifiable matter 06 per cent, approx. ; 

 percentage of oil in kernels 58*7 (Bull. Imp. Inst. 1908, p. 365). 

 Its colour and taste is said to prevent its use for edible purposes, 

 but as it closely resembles cotton-seed oil it may be utilised in 

 soap-making, for which purpose it has been valued at from £23 10s. 

 to £25 per ton. The oil is regarded by the natives of Uganda as a 

 specific for sleeping sickness, but it has been shown by Prof. Cushny 

 that it is of no value in the treatment of this disease (I.e. p. 366). 



The wood is described as hard, compact, and fine-grained ; used 

 in Abyssinia for making ploughs, clubs, and walking sticks (De 

 Wildeman, PI. Util. Congo, Art. viii. p. 51) ; also for carpentry 

 and turnery work (I.e. Art. xxvi. p. 365). Suitable for joists, 

 rafters, framework, cabinet work, pestles and mortars (Grisard & 

 Vanden-Berghe, Les bois industriels, p. 216). The bark of the 

 young trees yields a very strong fibre of white colour (Grant, 

 Trans. Linn. Soc. xxix. p. 43). 



The tree in Egypt flourishes in a black soil (Sawer, Odoro- 

 graphia, p. 472) ; found growing in Kibero, Uganda, at an approxi- 

 mate altitude of 2,300 feet (Da we, Herb. Kew). 



Ref. — " Balanites aegyptiaca," in Flore d'Egypte, Delile, 1812, 

 pp. 77-85. — Ibid, in Les Bois Industriels, indigenes et exotiques, 

 Grisard & Vanden-Berghe, i. pp. 216-247 (Soc. Nat. d'Acclimata- 

 tion, Paris, 1890 ?). — " Lalo ou Balanites aegyptiaca," in Les PI. 

 Util. du Congo, De Wildeman, Art. viii. pp. 50-54. — " Balanites 

 aegyptiaca Oil," in Bull. Imp. Inst. 1908, pp. 364-366. 



OCHNACEAE. 



Lophira, Banks. 



Lophira alata, Banks ; Fl. Trop. Afr. I. p. 174. 



III.— Gaertner, Fruct. Sem. PI. iii. t, 188 ; Guillem. Perr. Rich. 

 Fl. Senegamb. t. 24 ; Chevalier, Geog. Bot. Fl. Econ. Senegal et 

 Soudan, 1900, p. 205 ; Ann. Inst. Col. Marseille, i. 1903, p. 5, f. 29 

 (A fruit, B graine, C jeune plantule) ; Stone, Timb. Comm. 1. 1, f. 6 

 (Photo-micro, trans, section of wood x 3) ; Drabble, in Journ. Inst. 

 Comm. Res. Tropics, Liverpool Univ. Sept. 1907, p. 125. 



Vernac. names. — Eki, or Ekki (Lagos, Moloney, Punch) ; Meni 

 (Niger, Goldie, Billingtori) ; Gara (Cross River, BiUingtori) ; 

 Zawa (Sudan, Bull. Imp. Inst, 1908, p. 366) ; Mana (Mai hike, Fr. 

 Guinea, Pobeguin ; Bambarra, Chevalier) ; Mene (Soussou, Fr. 

 Guinea, Pobeguin) ; Kako (Gold Coast, De Rothschild) ; Laintlain- 

 tain (Sierra Leone, Sebire) ; Millai or Mille (Sierra Leone, Stone, 

 Scott-Elliott) ; Nungka (Sierra Leone, Smythe) ; Niam {Drabble) 

 — African Oak ; Scrubby Oak ; Dwarf Ironwood. 



