159 



The sample was received (December, 1906) from Khartum under 

 the native name "Alimu." It consisted of small pieces of reddish- 

 brown bark, which was rather fibrous, and covered with a rough 

 dark coloured scale. 



The analysis gave : — Moisture, 9*77 per cent. ; ash, 6*70 per 

 cent. ; tannin, 16*9 per cent. ; extractive matter (non-tannin) 

 6'0 per cent. 



The bark furnishes a soft leather with a rather reddish colour 

 (Bull. Imp. Inst. 1907, p. 359). 



The tree appears to be fairly abundant everywhere, and judging 

 by its wide distribution can be very easily propagated by seed, but 

 unless the value of the oil for use, perhaps in soap manufacture, 

 or the importance of the bark as a tanning material, can be 

 extended, it seems open to question whether the cultivation of the 

 tree would be w r orthy of more than ordinary attention. 



Ref. — " Huile de Citron cle Mer ou d'Elozy-Zegue," in " Graines 

 Grasses Xouvelles ou peu connues des Col. Franc, Ann. Inst. Col. 

 Marseille, v. 1898, pp. 27-39. 



COULA, Baillon. 

 Coula edulis, Baill ; Fl. Trop. Afr. I. p. 351. 



III. — Baillon, Adansonia, iii. t. 3 ; Ann. Inst. Col. Marseille, v. 

 3898, p. 6, f. 1 (fruits). 



Vemac. names. — Coula (Gaboon, Heckel) ; Koumounou (Loango, 

 Heckel) ; Koumongou, Igoumon (Congo, De Wildeman) ; Xoyer 

 du Gabon {Selnre). 



Widely distributed in West Africa. 



The kernels are edible, and when cooked, i.e., boiled in the nut, 

 make an agreeable dessert nut. 



A sample of these nuts was submitted by Kew, in July, 1905, 

 to Messrs. Praschkauer & Co., London, for commercial valuation, 

 who reported that, owing to the shell, they are impossible for oil 

 crushing ; the kernel also was very much shrivelled and partly 

 decayed. If they could be sent over shelled the kernels would be 

 worth about £7 per ton (Mus. Kew). 



A firm in Liverpool has examined the nuts, and is of opinion 

 that they would yield a very nice edible oil. Some difficulty 

 was found in obtaining a sufficient quantity (2 tons or so) to 

 estimate the value on a commercial scale (I.e.). 



Sebire (PL Util. Senegal, p. 47) mentions that the nut is edible, 

 and that it furnishes a good percentage of edible oil. Heckel in 

 1898 regarded the oil as a scientific curiosity, but, like the oil of 

 Ben, by reason of its delicacy and freedom from rancidity, it was 

 suggested that it would be useful for oiling clocks and "watches. 

 He considered the proportion of oil in the seed too small to be 

 exploited profitably on a commercial scale for any large industry 

 such as soap-making (Ann. Inst. Col. Marseille, v.*1898, p. 11). 



The wood is hard and reddish in colour ; suitable for wheel- 

 wright's work and turnerv (De Wildeman, PI. Util. Congo, 1904, 

 p. 337). 



Ref.— "Huile de Coula ou de Koumounou " Coula edulis, in 

 " Graines Grasses Nouvelles ou peu connues des Col. Franc.," 

 Ann. Inst. Col. Marseille, v. 1898, pp. 1-11. 



