The sweet pulp is eaten as a substitute for sugar. The tree grows to a large size in Nigeria; its timber is one of these exported under the name of “African Mahogany.” It is grey in colour, with a fine and regular grain, density 0.779. It is hard but works well. It is very resistant to pests and lasts long under water. Very suitable for carpentry, piles, fences, joinery, etc. It exudes a fragrant resin. 277 =Burkea africana= _Hook. f._ Small tree, 25 ft. high. Leaves bipinnate, up to 3 ft. long, collected towards ends of branches; pinnæ ab. 3 pairs; leaflets 6-12 per pinna. Flowers spicate, white, at end of branches. Pod up to 2½ in. long, oblong or elliptical, flat, coriaceous. Mongalla Prov. (Yei River); Bahr El Ghazal Prov. (Niamniam-land). Wood clear brown in colour with a fine close grain, density 0.677. It splits easily and is suited to light carpentry and furniture. Not very resistant to insect pests. 278 =Erythrophlæum guineense= _Don._ KURU (Wau) & THIEPAGOK (Rumbek)—Dinka; BANGI or BEI—Golo; KOLU—Jur; IRRIK & GARO—Zande. The Red Water tree or Sass wood. Very large tree. Leaves abruptly bipinnate; pinnæ 2-4 pairs; leaflets 6-11 per pinna. Flowers in dense spiciform panicles, small, white or pale yellow. Pod 3½ in. long and 1¾ in. broad, black, woody. Bahr El Ghazal Prov. (near Khors). Wood reddish brown, very heavy and hard to work, density 0.821. Close grained, fibres twisted. Suited to joinery and cabinet making. Very resistant to pests. The seeds, pods and bark are poisonous. The seeds are used by Dinkas as a test of a person’s guilt when accused of causing death by witchcraft or poison. The accused has to swallow some four of the seeds with water after these have been cut in two. If he dies he is guilty, but innocent if he is only sick. =MIMOSACEÆ.= 279 =Parkia biglobosa= _Benth._ Tree, 50 ft. high. Leaves 9-18 in. long, bipinnate; pinnæ 14-30 pairs, with sessile glands at the base of 1 or 2 last pairs; leaflets 1-nerved, 50-70 pairs. Flowers red, in pendulous globose heads. Pods several in a bunch, 8-12 in. long, depressed between the seeds. Upper White Nile. Wood whitish, soft, density 0.699, medium grained, very flexible. Easily worked and suited to carpentry. The dry pulp of the pods furnishes a reddish flour containing 60 per cent. of sugar which is eaten with rice and meat; it is also used in the preparation of a fermented liquor. The bark and pods are used as a fish poison. =P. filicoidea= _Welw._ UMRASHAD or MUDUS—Arab; AKON—Dinka; KOFO, LU or ULU—Golo; NWANA—Jur; RU—Bongo; ABONGBA—Zande. Large tree with dark outer bark. Leaves abruptly bipinnate; pinnæ 6-9 pairs; leaflets 16-24 pairs, triplinerved. Flowers in dense pendulous, globose heads, ab. 1½ in. across, scarlet. Pods usually several together, flat, 8-12 in. long. Bahr El Ghazal Prov. Timber white, coarse, not durable. The mealy pulp in which the seeds are embedded is eaten. The bark is used for tanning.