Trade ana Vernacular Names 
Avodire is the generally accepted trade name for Turraeanthus africana . It 
has the advantage of not conflicting with that of any other commercial rood 
on the American market. Whether this name is a combination of various native 
names or one given by the French is not known. The name "white mahogany" has 
also been used, because the wood is much like that of African mahogany except 
for its color, which is pale tan approaching white (22). Other names are: 
African furniture xvoods.. U. S. trade 
African satinwood U. S. trade 
Agboui (Abe , Ebrie ) Ivors'" Coast 
Apapaye Gold Coast 
Apaya Nigeria 
Apeya Gold Coast 
Appayia Gold Coast 
Avodire (Appolonian) . . Ivory Coast 
Engan Cameroon 
Esu Belgian Congo 
—Hague (Agni ) Ivory Coast 
Hakue (Attie ) Ivory Coast 
01 on Ivory Coast 
Lusamba Belgian Congo 
Songo Belgian Congo 
Wansewa Gold Coast 
Fhite mahogany U. S. trade 
Distribution and Habitat 
Avodire occurs as an understory tree in the rain forests of parts of tropical 
West Africa, including the Gold Coast, Ivory Coast, and Angola, but is essen- 
tially an Ivory Coast species. The trees are not uniformly distributed in the 
rain forests, but are often localized in almost pure groups (l). Avodire is 
reported as abundant in the region of the east Ivory Coast from the Agneby 
River on the west to the Bia River on the east. Avodire and other species of 
Turraeanthus are also said to grow in the Gold Coast, Nigeria, the Cameroons, 
Gabon, Liberia, and the Belgian Congo, although they are not as common in these 
regions, and there is little information on the occurrence (j) or on the wood 
of some of these species. 
Avodire is probably typical of the genus (29). According to Dr. Welwitch, 
avodire is not a coastal or low-altitude species but attains its best develop- 
ment in the foothills %0 to 100 miles inland in the upland forests. It does 
—Name applied also to the Bosse wood (Guarea cedrata Pell.), which possesse: 
different characteristics (6). 
Rept. No. R1905 -2- 
