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 in February of the following year, are
capsules about 4 inches long, shaped like a club and standing erect.
They are brown in colour and split from the apex into five sections
which curl back and release the seeds. These are packed, about six in
each section, round a pith centre, the wings, 1¼ inches long, pointing
downwards, one over the other. The split capsule remains some time
on the tree after the seeds have fallen. The capsules are very few
in number on a tree considering the enormous number of flowers which
bloom, but are very conspicuous and a ready means of identification.
The mahogany coloured seeds will blow 200 yards away.
=Uses.=—An infusion of the bark is used as a cure for digestive
trouble. The timber is used for furnishings and is an excellent wood
for all articles, owing to its being so easy to work.
[Illustration]
=PSOROSPERMUM SENEGALENSE= Spach.—_Kashekaji_. _Kaskawami_.
HYPERICACEAE.
A common shrub in the Bush savannahs, not extending very far north, but
abundant in secondary growth after cultivation. It is common amongst
the rocks on the Bauchi plateau almost up to the 4,000 feet level. It
is equally common all through Zaria and S. Sokoto, in fact, anywhere
up to 12° N. It forms a large, compact, round shrub some 15 feet high
with dense foliage, generally on a single, low-branched stem. The
distinguishing character is the rusty-coloured underside of the hairy
leaves.
=The Bark= is light brown and has small corky ridges and fissures.
=The Leaves= are from 3-5 inches long and 1½-2½ inches broad, in pairs,
ovate, with wavy margins, tapering tips, very short stalks, downy on
both surfaces, that on the upper surface rubbing off to expose a light,
shiny green. The under surface is densely covered with rust-coloured
down, readily rubbed off and exposing a fine network of veins with a
minute black dot in almost every cell and a pronounced row of dots all
round the margin. The mid-rib is recurved causing the leaf to fold up
along it. The shoots are covered with orange-coloured hairs.
=The Flowers= are in dense clusters 3-4 inches in diameter, from
January onwards. Each is ¼ inch across, has a 5-pointed calyx with
vertical purple lines on the inside, 5 white petals densely covered
with white hairs, 5 columns of stamens with some 9 anthers each and a
pistil with 5 lobes each with a globular stigma, shining brown.
=The Fruits= are capsules with 5 cells, one generally maturing at the
expense of the rest. They are a little over ¼ inch in diameter, purple,
shiny and fleshy. The sepals clasp them close, and the stigma remains
are persistent.
=Uses.=—A concoction of the leaves and bark is applied for skin
diseases.
[Illustration]
=PTEROCARPUS ERINACEUS= Poir.—_Madobia_. LEGUMINOSAE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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