The useful trees of northern NigeriaLely, Hugh Vandervaes
Science
The useful trees of northern Nigeria
Lely, Hugh Vandervaes
Plants, Useful -- Nigeria, Northern; Trees -- Nigeria, Northern
=The Fruits=, which ripen about December or January, are large, hard,
black pods, 5-6 inches long, 2½ inches broad and an inch thick, with
a point at the tip. They split in half to disclose about eight large,
black beans, set in a red aril in large, white cells. The pods are
numerous and conspicuous on the trees.
=Uses.=—Planks and mortars are made locally from the wood. Furniture in
small quantities has been made, and except for the weight of the wood,
it is admirably suitable, in colour and texture for this purpose. The
seeds are sold as a charm (fasa daga) and used in the game of “dara.”
The idea is held, in some parts of the country, that if the seeds be
picked from the pod while it is still on the tree and made into “tuwo”
the eating of them will make one safe from an attempted blow with a
stick, which will remain poised, or break with the blow.
The leaves are eaten as fodder by cattle.
[Illustration]
=ALBIZZIA BROWNEI= Oliv.—_Madobiar rafi_. LEGUMINOSAE.
This is a large species of the tree savannah, extending generally by
way of the streams and “kurmis” up to above 11° N. On suitable soils
it can be found in large groups forming a high forest with the crowns
meeting over 60 feet overhead. The bole length is considerable, often
30 feet and the stem is slender and straight. Enormous isolated trees
inhabit the more sheltered “kurmis” and reach a height of 80 feet with
a girth of 12 feet. Such specimens have small root flanges and the
crown is low and of great size, not affording very much shade owing to
the spreading limbs. The large bipinnate leaves of distinctive form and
the big, flat pods are readily recognised.
=The Bark= is greyish-brown, fairly smooth, with square or rectangular
close-fitting scales, larger and rougher in old trees, especially at
the base. The slash is light orange in colour.
=The Wood= is a light red, with streaks and areas of darker and lighter
red and white. In transverse section the rings are well marked and wide
apart, the pores are large, mostly twins or small groups and imperfect
festoons, the soft tissue not linking them up in long lengths. The
rays are fine, wavy and irregular in their spacing, closing up and
separating, showing as red bands in radial and fine stippling in
tangential section. The wood is soft, easy to saw and plane, the finish
being smooth, with a sheen and able to take a polish. The weight is 42
lbs. a cubic foot.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account