Forest Flora of Portuguese East Africa. 
1 1 8 
Gegdmbe (to). A veneer, 4 m.m. thick, of a clear yellowish-grey timber, of fine surface, cut rather across the grain, but surfaced beautifully, and gives a nice figured 
appearance when varnished. When unvarnished the timber sparkles as if permeated with resin. A very pretty and useful timber of light colour and light weight, 
but firm solid texture and probably very durable. Rings 12-25 m.m. apart, irregular ; pores few, short ; rays inconspicuous. Weight about 50 lbs. 
Imbilo(to). Pterocarpus erinaceus. A reddish-grey rather light porous timber, producing a beautiful specimen. Pores large, long, and fairly numerous, the inter- 
mediate tissue taking a fine surface and taking varnish well. Rings and rays indistinct ; any broken surface iridescent from resin. This is the most highly valued 
timber in the Magenja forest, being very durable, ant-proof, strong, easily worked, not too heavy for transport, not liable to warp or crack, suitable for every local 
purpose, and not even requiring paint to make it durable in house-work. It is there what Teak is elsewhere, and as there is quantity of it obtainable, I look upon 
this as the master-key in the development of the country. Weight about 50-55 lbs. 
Tumbe or Tube (10), Irvingia mossambicensis. A dark-grey timber of very even, close-grained nature, and probably of value. Weight about 50 lbs.; pores numerous, 
short, resinous, giving the timber a silvery iridescence when unpolished. Rays narrow, dark. Has the appearance of strength and durability. May be useful for 
furniture and wagon-building and many less valuable purposes. Found in considerable quantity in Magenja da Costa and Nhamacurra ; the trees being usually 
tall, straight, and of considerable diameter. 
Mugague, Mucossa or Musacosse (10), Afzelia quanzensis. A bad specimen, decayed in the centre. Weight about 45 lbs. A dark -grey porous timber, rather 
brittle under the plane ; figured where the grain is crossed. Pores somewhat resiniferous. 
Mgunde or Magundo (10), Milicia africana. A most curious limber, the heartwood dark-brown, the outer wood of mottled colour, streaks of dark-brown solid timber 
alternating with sometimes less, sometimes much more abundant, light-grey pithy tissue. Weight about 50 lbs. ; surface good, and takes varnish well. Woody 
tissue appears to be regularly either papillate or pitted ; pithy tissue containing large resin-vessels, and the whole timber is full of resin. Rings and rays absent. 
Logs 10 metres long and 6 metres circumference, and others squared to 45 c.m. have been lying at Arenga for some years without protection, and are quite sound, 
showing no cracks or flaws ; it is durable and ant-proof, and fairly easily worked. It grows to enormous size, and is so regularly sound at these large sizes that all 
the larger dug-out boats are of it, the excavation being mostly by fire, and is carried on for months or years after the boat has been launched. On several occasions 
20 or more of my native carriers crossed a river at once in one of these boats, and they do practically all the river freight where civilization has not arrived, and 
much of it where civilization has been for hundreds of years, as at Quelimane. Evidently from the use of this tree all large dug-out boats are now known generically 
as Maguiuloy whether made of it or not, the smaller boats being known as mandca. 
Manguiera (10), Mangifera indica. A bad specimen of what looks like a good timber. Colour approaching red, or dark-brown ; texture close, rays and rings absent; 
surface and varnished surface good ; weight about 42 lbs. ; a presentable timber if obtainable sound. The tree, whether or not originally indigenous, is now widely 
scattered, and one of the largest trees in the Magenja forests. It is of course protected by the natives for its fruits ; but is frequently used for large dug-out boats. 
W. Gamble (“ Manual of Indian Timbers,” 21 1) says: — “Wood grey, in old trees sometimes dark-brown with black streaks, and hard ; in younger trees coarse- 
grained, soft. Pores scanty, moderate-sized and large, distinctly marked on a longitudinal section, often sub-divided, and sometimes joined by short concentric 
bands. Medullary rays fine, wavy, closely packed, interrupted by or bound round the pores. . . . The wood is used for planking, doors and window-frames, 
in Calcutta for packing-cases, and in Behar for opium and indigo-boxes ; canoes and masula boats are made of it. In Debra Dun and some other tea districts it 
is in large demand and universal employ for tea-boxes. . . . The bark gives a gum used in medicine ; the seed contains gallic acid, and is also so used. The 
dried kernels of the seeds are eaten in curries or pickled, or ground up, or in other preparations. The fruit is made into preserves and chutnies.” 
Me^equesse (10), Bnuhinia reticulata. A beautiful red timber not unlike Mahogany, but marked almost like Magundo, with timber abundant and pithy tissue scarce. 
The arrangement of the pores is curious and they are closed with pith except the centre. The most marketable timber we have for export to Europe as a furniture 
timber ; weight about 45 lbs., and apparently strong for that. Makes beautiful picture frames. 
Muconite (10), Excaecaria africana. A dark-brown timber, streaked darker. Weight about 50 lbs. Texture fine, very equal, dense, close-grained, apparently strong, 
takes a fine surface and a beautiful varnished surface. Rings about 3 m.m. apart, dark ; rays absent ; pores minute, few. The timber has a very strong smell, 
which it never loses, in M’Chopes and Lourenzo Marques it is spoken of as Sanda/wood, and it would probably find a good market in Europe. It is a first-class 
timber for wagon-work, furniture, &c., widely distributed though somewhat local and more or less gregarious in each locality ; it seldom exceeds 30 c.m. in diameter, 
but is well worth further investigation. 
