WEST AFRICAN FORESTS
AND FORESTRY
[Illustration: FIG. 1.—=Mixed Evergreen Forest on the edge of Barombo
Lake (Elephant Lake), Cotton Trees in foreground.=]
Frontispiece.
WEST AFRICAN FORESTS
AND FORESTRY
BY
A. HAROLD UNWIN
D.OEC., M.CAN., S.F.E.
Late Senior Conservator of Forests, Nigeria
WITH 110 ILLUSTRATIONS
BY THE AUTHOR
T. FISHER UNWIN LTD
LONDON: ADELPHI TERRACE
_First published in 1920_
_(All rights reserved)_
TO
MY MOTHER
PREFACE
While going round inspecting timber areas being worked by European firms
in Nigeria, I have often been asked for a book with illustrations
showing the different kinds of trees which might be felled, and also
giving some account of the trees themselves, as well as the main work of
the Forest Department. It is with the idea of trying to supply this want
that I have mainly compiled this work, in the hope that, however
imperfect it may be, the various timber getters and users in Nigeria may
find it useful.
I have not attempted to give accurate descriptions of the trees, as this
has already been done by Mr. Foster in his work _Notes on Nigerian Trees
and Plants_, and I would refer readers to that volume, and to the
botanical works, such as _Useful Plants of Nigeria_, issued under the
authority of the Director of Kew Gardens, and the _Flora of Tropical
Africa_, by Oliver; but only refer to some specific feature of the trees
that are most common or useful, by which they can be recognized by an
ordinary observer without botanical knowledge.
I wish to acknowledge with thanks the assistance given to me by the
Central and Southern Secretaries for permission to use the annual Forest
Report from the year 1906 onwards.
I wish also to express my thanks to the Under-Secretary of State for the
Colonies for permission to use my Reports on the Forests of Sierra Leone
and the Afforestation of Togo.
To Mr. H. N. Thompson, the Chief Conservator of Forests of Nigeria, I am
indebted for much useful information obtained from his Report on the
Gold Coast Forests.
To Mr. R. E. Dennett, Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests, who has given
me much help and advice in compiling this work, and more especially for
reading through the proofs, I tender my grateful thanks.
Two most valuable chapters on the Forests and botanical features of the
Northern Provinces of Nigeria were written by Dr. J. M. Dalziel, to whom
I owe grateful thanks for his encouragement in this work.
My greatest thanks are due to Mr. C. E. Lane-Poole, Commissioner of
Forests, Victoria, for the use of the list of the Sierra Leone trees.
To M. Chevalier I return grateful thanks for his list of the Ivory Coast
trees.
For the constant and unfailing interest and devotion to the work of Miss
Christina E. Lacy, acting as amanuensis, I beg to extend my heartfelt
thanks.
Further thanks are also due to my wife, who has lent not only practical
assistance, but has been the mainspring of inspiration for the
completion of this work.
CONTENTS
PAGE
PREFACE 7-8
TABLE OF CHAPTERS 9, 10
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 11-16
CHAPTER I
THE FORESTS OF WESTERN AFRICA 17-19
CHAPTER II
THE GAMBIA 20
DESCRIPTIONS OF TREES AND FORESTS 20
APPENDIX I. THE FOREST LAW. (FEES) 23
APPENDIX II. FOREST EXPORTS 24
CHAPTER III
SIERRA LEONE 25
I. THE FORESTS 25
II. NOTES ON TIMBER TREES. (EXPORT AND LOCAL USE) 26
III. TREES CUT FOR LOCAL USE 31
IV. MINOR FOREST PRODUCE 35
V. THE FOREST DEPARTMENT, SIERRA LEONE 39
VI. BOTANICAL AND VERNACULAR NAMES OF INDIGENOUS TREES, WITH 41
DESCRIPTION
APPENDIX I. EXPORTS OF FOREST PRODUCE 63
APPENDIX II. FOREST PRODUCE, 1827-1835 64
APPENDIX III. IMPORTS OF TIMBER INTO SIERRA LEONE 65
CHAPTER IV
LIBERIA 66
I. THE GOLA FOREST 66
II. NOTES ON THE MOST VALUABLE TREES 66
III. THE CONDITIONS OF WORKING TIMBER 69
IV. BOTANICAL AND VERNACULAR NAMES OF INDIGENOUS TREES 70
APPENDIX. FOREST EXPORTS 80
CHAPTER V
THE IVORY COAST 81
A NOTE ON THE FOREST AND MAHOGANY INDUSTRY 81
BOTANICAL AND VERNACULAR NAMES OF TREES. BY MONSIEUR 83
AUGUST CHEVALIER
APPENDIX. FOREST EXPORTS 90
CHAPTER VI
THE GOLD COAST 91
THE FORESTRY POSITION 91
NOTES ON INDIGENOUS TREES 93
BOTANICAL AND VERNACULAR NAMES. (FROM MR. H. N. 93
THOMPSON’S REPORT)
APPENDIX. FOREST EXPORTS 115
CHAPTER VII
TOGO 116
I. THE FORESTS 116
II. THE FOREST PLANTATIONS 119
III. THE DISTRICT PLANTATIONS 122
IV. NOTES ON INDIGENOUS TREES. BOTANICAL AND VERNACULAR NAMES 127
APPENDIX I. INTRODUCED SPECIES OF TREES PLANTED 148
APPENDIX II. CENSUS OF PLANTATIONS 149
APPENDIX III. EXPORTS OF FOREST PRODUCE 150
CHAPTER VIII
NIGERIA 151
I. THE RIVERS, PORTS AND FORESTS 151
II. THE MAHOGANY AND TIMBER INDUSTRIES 155
III. THE PERMANENT FORESTS OR FOREST RESERVES 160
IV. AFFORESTATION IN NIGERIA 166
V. THE FOREST DEPARTMENT 184
VI. REVIEW OF THE BOTANICAL FEATURES OF N. NIGERIA. BY DR. J. 188
M. DALZIEL
SOME TREES OF HAUSALAND. BY DR. J. M. DALZIEL 205
APPENDIX I. BOTANICAL AND VERNACULAR NAMES OF INDIGENOUS 218
TREES. NORTHERN PROVINCES
APPENDIX II. EXPORTS OF FOREST PRODUCE 226
APPENDIX III. IMPORTS OF TIMBER INTO NIGERIA 227
APPENDIX IV. THE FEES AND ROYALTIES ON TIMBER TREES 228
CHAPTER IX
THE NIGERIAN TIMBER TREES 235
CHAPTER X
THE FORESTS AND TIMBER PRODUCTION OF THE BRITISH SPHERE 415
OF THE CAMEROONS
(WITH A NOTE ON THE FRENCH AND BELGIAN CONGO AND
SPANISH GUINEA)
NOTES ON DESCRIPTIONS OF TREES. BOTANICAL AND 425
VERNACULAR NAMES
APPENDIX I. EXPORTS OF FOREST PRODUCE 444
APPENDIX II. EXPORTS OF TIMBER ACCORDING TO PORT OF 445
SHIPMENT
APPENDIX III. EXPORTS OF TIMBER ACCORDING TO DESTINATION 446
CHAPTER XI
THE OIL BEANS, SEEDS AND NUTS OF THE FOREST 447
CHAPTER XII
THE OIL PALM AND PALM KERNEL INDUSTRY 464
CHAPTER XIII
THE FOREST IN RELATION TO AGRICULTURE 485
CHAPTER XIV
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WEST AFRICAN FORESTS 496
INDEX 501
ILLUSTRATIONS
I.
1. Mixed Evergreen Forest on the edge of Barombo _Frontispiece_
Lake (Elephant Lake). Cotton Trees in foreground
II. SIERRA LEONE.
_To face page_
2. Red Ironwood (_Lophira procera_), in the Forest, 16
Gumah
3. Mature Cola Tree (_Cola vera_), growing in Fundo 16
village, Protectorate of Sierra Leone
4. View of Gumah Mountain from the Gumah 16
5. African Oak (_Oldfieldia Africana_), showing 24
bole in middle foreground, near Bureh Town Bridge
6. African Oak (_Oldfieldia Africana_), showing 24
scaly bark at base of tree, the late Mr. C. W.
Smythe standing beside it
7. _Pterocarpus esculentus_ in flower near Fakar 40
Kole, at the edge of the Peninsular Forest
8. Forest of true Gum Copal (_Copaifera 40
salikounda_), showing nearly all the trees bare
of foliage and dying, due to overtapping, near
Sussuwuru, Moyamba District
9. True Gum Copal (_Copaifera salikounda_), showing 40
base of stem with tapping squares, near the bank
of the Rokell River, north of Moyamba District
III. LIBERIA.
10. Large Brimstone Tree (_Sarcocephalus sp._), Gola 66
Forest
11. African Satinwood (_Afrormosia laxiflora_), Gola 66
Forest
12. Gola Forest, general view, near Morro River 80
13. Mahogany (_Khaya Ivoriensis_), the late Mr. C. 80
W. Smythe standing beside it, Gola Forest
14. Young Yawey Cedar (_Heritiera?_), Gola Forest 80
IV. TOGO.
15. Teak Plantation of 1908, 35¾ feet high, Sokode, 90
in 1911
16. Teak Plantation of 1907 and 1908 on hill-side, 90
Atakpame
17. One-year-old Oil Palms amongst seven- to 116
ten-year-old trees, 1911
18. Two-year-old Oil Palm Plantation, Sokode 116
19. Three-year-old Oil Palm Plantation, Sokode 116
20. Four-year-old Oil Palm Plantation, Sokode 116
21. _Chlorophora excelsa_, 1911 126
22. Five-year-old Oil Palm Plantation, Sokode 126
23. Five-year-old _Khaya Senegalensis_, 1911 126
24. Teak Plantation made in 1907 at Pfandu, in 1911 136
25. _Khaya Klaineana_, 17 feet in girth, Misahohe 136
Station
26. Corner of a 1907 Teak Plantation, Pfandu, in 1911 136
V. WESTERN CIRCLE, NIGERIA.
EBUTTEMETTA GARDENS.
27. Large Teak Tree (_Tectona grandis_), about 150
sixteen years old, Ebuttemetta Gardens
28. Large Para (_Hevea Braziliensis_), Ebuttemetta 150
Gardens, age about sixteen years
VI. WESTERN CIRCLE, NIGERIA.
OLOKEMEJI ARBORETUM AND RAILWAY PLANTATION AND
TWO STUDIES OF CAPSULES.
29. The Chief Conservator of Forests’ House, with 162
five-year-old _Albizzia Lebbek_ standing beside
it
30. Three capsules of Mahogany (_Khaya grandis 162
Ivoriensis_ and _Punchii_), from banks of Owena
River
31. Capsules of three species of Entandrophragma: 162
_E. macrophyllum_, the largest; _E. utilis_, the
next in size; and _E. cylindricum_, the smallest
32. _Cedrela odorata_, seven years old, with Forest 174
Office in background, Olokemeji
33. _Cedrela odorata_, Cigar-box Cedar, girth 5 174
feet, twelve years old, Olokemeji Arboretum
34. Teak (_Tectona grandis_), ten years old, 174
Olokemeji Arboretum
35. Teak, six years old, Olokemeji Arboretum 184
36. _Khaya Senegalensis_, five years old, from seed 184
obtained by H. N. Thompson, Esq., in Shaki
District
37. Mature Iroko Tree (_Chlorophora excelsa_), 184
over 12 feet in girth in 1911, since cut down
and used for building the Chief Conservator of
Forests’ house
VII. NORTHERN PROVINCES, NIGERIA.
38. Marsh or “fadama” with islets of foliage, Benué 196
overflow near Yola
39. The Lower Niger in flood 196
40. Fringing Forest on River Benué, in the rainy 196
season
41. A Baobab (_Adansonia digitata_) 208
42. Giginya or “Fan Palm” (_Borassus flabellifer_, 208
var. _Æthiopum_), with waterlilies (_Nymphæaceæ_)
VIII. WESTERN CIRCLE, OLOKEMEJI ARBORETUM.
43. Mahogany (_Khaya grandis_), 6½ years old, 216
showing bent leader, owing to previous one being
eaten out by the leading-shoot borer
44. 1909 Mahogany (_Khaya grandis_ and _K. Punchii_) 216
Plantation after six years’ growth, near road to
Chief Conservator’s house, Olokemeji Arboretum
45. The largest Mahogany (_Khaya Punchii_), seven 216
years old, Olokemeji Arboretum, in the Forest
Reserve
46. Corner of the 1908 Teak Plantation, Olokemeji 228
Arboretum, showing it at the end of the dry
season, March 1915, Captain Owens
47. _Cedrela odorata_, Cigar-box Cedar, three years 228
old (seen close), R. E. Dennett, Esq.
48. Corner tree of the 1908 Teak Plantation, with H. 228
N. Thompson, Esq., 1911
49. Shea Butter Tree (_Butyrospermum Parkii_), 234
standing near the Conservator of Forests’ house,
June 1915, after being protected from fire eight
years
50. Teak (_Tectona grandis_), three years old, 234
Compartment 2, Range 2, Olokemeji Forest Reserve
51. Shea Butter Tree (_Butyrospermum Parkii_) in 234
fruit, April 1911, standing near the Conservator
of Forests’ house. This tree has been protected
from fire for nearly four years
52. Shea Butter Tree (_Butyrospermum Parkii_), 234
standing near the Conservator of Forests’
house. The same tree of which the fruit was
photographed April 1911
IX. WESTERN CIRCLE, NIGERIA.
STUDIES OF TREES, OLOKEMEJI RESERVE.
53. Mature Opepe (_Sarcocephalus esculentus_), in 250
middle of picture, across Ogun River, Olokemeji
Forest Reserve
54. Mature Oganwo (_Khaya Punchii_), near Dajopa, 250
Olokemeji Reserve, showing base of stem for
nearly 12 feet stripped of bark
55. Large Emido (_Mimusops multinervis_), 10 feet in 250
girth, Dajopa, Olokemeji Forest Reserve
56. Large-leaved Mahogany (_Khaya grandis_), 14 260
feet in girth, with smaller Iroko (_Chlorophora
excelsa_), standing at the side, Olokemeji
Forest Reserve
57. Arere (_Triplochiton Nigericum_), 120 feet high, 260
thirty years old
58. Ebony (_Diospyros mespiliformis_), 7 feet 6 260
inches in girth, on Dajopa Road, Olokemeji
Reserve
59. Large Ayin (_Anogeissus leiocarpus_), 10 feet in 272
girth, Dajopa, Olokemeji Forest Reserve
60. Oil Palm in bearing, two bunches of fruit in 272
view, Olokemeji Forest Reserve
61. Base of 14-foot Bilinga (_Afzelia Africana_), 284
Dajopa Forest Reserve, Olokemeji Reserve
62. Shea Butter (_Butyrospermum Parkii_), 7 feet in 284
girth, near Oniloku Road, Olokemeji Reserve
63. Afara (_Terminalia superba_), base of mature 284
tree over 12 feet in girth, Olokemeji Reserve
64. _Afzelia Africana_, 14 feet in girth, showing 284
bole and usual fork, Ijaiye Range, Dajopa,
Olokemeji Forest Reserve
X. WESTERN CIRCLE.
FOREST TREES, ILARO.
65. _Khaya Ivoriensis_, 14 feet 8 inches in girth, 294
Ilaro Forest Reserve
66. Iroko (_Chlorophora excelsa_), 8 feet in girth, 294
standing in Ilaro Forest Reserve after Forest
was cleared
XI. WESTERN CIRCLE.
DRY ZONE VEGETATION, OYO DISTRICT.
67. _Khaya Senegalensis_, 1910, on bank of Ogun 308
River, near Iporin, Oyo Province
68. Locust Tree (_Parkia filicoidea_), in bearing, 308
Oyo District, 1910
XII. WESTERN CIRCLE.
STUDIES OF FOREST VEGETATION, ADO AND MAMU
FOREST.
69. Mature Iroko (_Chlorophora excelsa_) and Teak, 320
one year old, Mamu Forest Reserve, Ibadan
Province, 1915
70. Large full-grown Iroko Tree (_Chlorophora 320
excelsa_) standing near Ibadan, Jebu Ode Road,
Mamu Forest Reserve, in May 1910. See Fig. 69,
which is of the same tree taken five years later
71. Untouched Forest on summit of Ado Rock, Oyo 320
Province, 1910
XIII. WESTERN CIRCLE, OSHUN AND MAMU FORESTS.
72. Forest on banks of Oshun River, looking 332
downstream, Oshun Forest Reserve
73. Large Arere Tree (_Triplochiton Nigericum_) 332
already girdled and dead
74. Forest on banks of Oshun River, looking 332
upstream, Oshun Forest Reserve, Jebu Ode District
75. Ride between Compartments C and D, Mamu Forest 332
Reserve, Funtumia seedlings on either side, six
to eight years old
XIV. WESTERN CIRCLE, NIGERIA, ONDO AND IWOYE
FORESTS.
76. Path in Iwoye Forest, Western Circle, showing 342
parts of four mahogany trees in the picture
77. Mature Cocoanut Grove near stream in the middle 342
of Idanre Town, 1910
XV. CENTRAL CIRCLE, NIGERIA, IFON FOREST.
78. Osse River, looking downstream, edge of the 354
Pool, Ifon District
79. Mixed Forest near Osse, looking upstream, Ifon 354
District
XVI. CENTRAL CIRCLE, NIGERIA, EBEKWI FOREST.
80. Heavy Sapeli Mahogany (_Entandrophragma utilis_) 364
standing near the road between Uyeri and Benin
City, Benin Province
81. Agba (Benin), (_Pterogopodium?_), standing near 364
Ifon Road, south of Uyeri, Benin Province
XVII. CENTRAL CIRCLE, NIGERIA.
OGBA PLANTATION, BENIN.
82. Benin Satinwood (_Afrormosia laxiflora_) 376
standing in the Ogba Plantation, Benin District
83. Mixed Mahogany Plantation, _Khaya grandis_ 376
on left, _K. Punchii_ in centre, and
Entandrophragma in the right foreground, six
years old, near Ogba, Benin Province
84. Ogea, Gum Copal (_Daniellia caudata_), standing 376
in the Ogba Plantation, Benin Province
XVIII. CENTRAL CIRCLE, OBAGIE FOREST, BENIN.
85. _Khaya anthoteca_, 16 feet in girth, Obagie 384
Forest Reserve, Benin Province
86. Okan (_Cylicodiscus Gabunensis_), African 384
Greenheart, 24 feet in girth, standing in Obagie
Forest Reserve, Benin Province
XIX. CENTRAL CIRCLE, NIGERIA, KOKO TOWN
MAHOGANY.
87. Koko Town, with raft of mahogany logs moored 396
near the bank
88. Mahogany logs floating in the river above Koko 396
Town
XX. CENTRAL CIRCLE, NIGERIA, OSSE RIVER FOREST.
89. Funtumia Rubber Plantation, both sides of the 408
road, Igwoshudi, Benin
90. Mahogany Plantation, _Khaya Punchii_, twelve 408
years old, near Noami, on the banks of the Osse
River, Benin Province
91. Entandrophragma log with three sides already 408
squared and fourth partially cut ready for
squaring
92. Stump of _Khaya Punchii_ with log at base, left 408
in the Benin Forest
XXI. EASTERN CIRCLE, NIGERIA, STUDIES OF TREES.
DEGEMA FOREST STATION, INCLUDING IMO BRIDGE.
93. _Mimusops Djave_, about twelve years old, 414
standing near Prison, Degema Station, Eastern
Circle
94. Mature Light African Greenheart, _Piptadenia 414
Africana_, standing in the middle of Degema
Station
95. Young Oil Bean Tree in bearing, _Pentaclethra 414
macrophylla_, Degema Station
96. Red Oak, _Berlinia acuminata_, 20 feet in girth, 414
standing near the Sombreiro River, Degema Station
97. Base of Red Oak, _Berlinia acuminata_, showing 428
smooth bark with comparatively few large scales,
Degema Station
98. Iroko, _Chlorophora excelsa_, nursery bed, with 428
seedlings two years old, at the side of Forest
House, Degema
99. The temporary Wooden Bridge over the Imo, on 446
the Eastern Division, Nigerian Railway. Note,
only native, locally grown timber used in its
construction
100. Medium-sized African Pearwood, _Mimusops Djave_, 446
standing in the middle of the road outside
Degema Station on the road to Illimema, since
felled, and logs sold in England
101. Inoi Tree, _Poga oleosa_, standing at the edge 446
of the Degema Station grounds
XXII. EASTERN CIRCLE, NIGERIA, CALABAR
ARBORETUM AND STATION.
102. Oil Palm, _Elæis Guineensis_, eight years old, 460
in bearing, showing nine out of the twenty-one
bunches of fruit on the tree
103. Seven-year-old Oil Palm in bearing, rather 460
over-pruned, showing male inflorescence just
below boy’s finger and bunch of fruit in the
middle of the picture
104. Mature _Brachystegia spicæformis_ standing at 472
the side of the Calabar Road, Calabar, showing
the typical shape of the crown and branches
105. Base of mature _Brachystegia spicæformis_ 472
standing at the side of the Calabar Road,
Calabar, showing both the scaly untouched bark
and the wounded section covered with nodules
XXIII. EASTERN CIRCLE, NIGERIA, CROSS RIVER.
TEAK PLANTATIONS, NDEH.
106. Rest House Teak Plantation at Ndeh, showing rows 486
of trees 9 feet apart and 4 feet between
107. View between the lines of one-year-old Teak 486
Plantation at Ndeh, in which trees were planted
4 feet apart
XXIV. EASTERN CIRCLE, NIGERIA, STUDIES OF TREES.
IKRIGON FOREST.
108. Shinglewood, _Terminalia scutifera_, 12 feet in 496
girth, standing in the Ikrigon Forest Reserve,
Eastern Circle
109. Iroko, _Chlorophora excelsa_, 15 feet in girth, 496
standing in Ikrigon Forest Reserve
110. Mahogany, _Khaya Senegalensis (?)_, standing at 496
the edge of Ikrigon Forest Reserve, showing base
of trunk with old bark wounds already healed over
[Illustration: FIG. 2.—=Red Ironwood (Lophira procera) in the Forest,
Gumah.=]
[Illustration: FIG. 3.—=Mature Cola Tree (Cola vera), growing in Fundo
Village, Protectorate of Sierra Leone.=]
[Illustration: FIG. 4.—=View of Gumah Mountain, from the Gumah.=]
WEST AFRICAN FORESTS
AND FORESTRY
CHAPTER I
THE FORESTS OF WESTERN AFRICA
From a large scale-map of Africa, the various British West African
Colonies and Protectorates, as well as Liberia, French Ivory Coast, the
late German Colonies of Togo and Cameroons, can be seen on the western
side of that Continent. In fact, these territories are all within the
Tropics, and also between the latitudes of 13° North in the Gambia to
nearly the Equator in the Cameroons, and between longitude of 17° West
to 10° East. Roughly speaking, Upper Guinea, as this part is usually
called, covers an area of 100 to 200 miles wide by a length of over
1,500 miles, as a sylvan belt mainly of one type of vegetation, which
botanically, however, only begins to alter as the boundary of the
Cameroons is approached in the eastern part of Nigeria. Therefore one
finds several trees extending right through this area, and also an
almost unbroken forest all the way along the coast line, and roughly 100
to 150 miles inland. The width of the forest varies rather according to
the aspect of the coast line, because the prevalent wind being south-
west, the greatest rainfall, and thus the heaviest type of forest,
occurs when the coast line runs at right angles to the prevailing wind.
This occurs, for instance, near Calabar, Nigeria in the Cameroons, part
of the Gold Coast near Axim, and Sierra Leone near Freetown. In some
instances this effect is accentuated by the proximity of mountains near
the coast, as, for instance, north of Calabar and north of Benin. One
tree, which might be taken as a type, is the Rhodesian Mahogany,
_Afzelia Africana_, which is found right in this belt of forest on its
northern side. As the name implies, it is also found in Rhodesia, near
the Victoria Falls. Mahogany, _Khaya Senegalensis_, is another tree
found in the Gambia, also in Nigeria right up to the Cameroon border,
over 1,500 miles away.
However, in this huge forest belt there are great variations in the
rainfall, from 20 to over 175 inches in the Oban Hills of Nigeria. There
are also, naturally, variations in soil and elevation, which make
differences in the character of the forest. The proximity to the sea
causes yet another difference in the type of vegetation, combined as it
often is with low elevation.
Broadly speaking, then, one can differentiate several distinct types of
forest, though owing to slight changes in a locality the one merges into
the other and very sharp boundary lines cannot be drawn.
I. The Mangrove Swamps are usually near the sea coast, though not always
at the sea coast; a strip of Evergreen Forest is usually found actually
on the sandy dunes of the sea coast. The Mangrove Swamps also extend up
the rivers near the coast as a fringe a mile or more wide.
II. The Evergreen Forest is usually found on the sea coast, also
extending inland up the rivers, and also on low land up to an elevation
of a few hundred feet, as, for instance, the forest on the banks of the
Calabar River.
III. The Freshwater Swamp Forests are also found in this type of
locality.
IV. The Mixed intermediate Forest is found usually where the rainfall
does not exceed 60 inches, or in slightly hilly country, and contains a
few deciduous trees. Typical trees of this forest are the _Triplochiton
Nigericum_ and _Mimusops multinervis_. It contains both evergreen and
deciduous trees.
V. The Fringing Forest, or “Gallerie” Forest of the Germans, is found at
the edge of rivers or lakes, where the rainfall is otherwise too low for
the mixed deciduous forests.
VI. The Savannah Forest, sometimes so-called Dry-zone Forest, usually
occurs with a rainfall of 30 to 50 inches. The typical tree of this is
the _Lophira alata_.
VII. The Evergreen Forest of the hills, chiefly above an altitude of
2,000 or 3,000 feet. It is especially noticeable on Mount Itakum and the
Boji Hills (elevation 5,000 feet).
VIII. The Open Orchard Forest, with shrubby trees of small growth.
These, then, roughly follow the Œcological Divisions according to
Warming, which are as follows:
Mangrove Swamp,
True Savannah,
Treeless Savannah, low and high grass,
Bush Savannah,
Tree Savannah,
Savannah Forest,
Sclerophyllus formations, such as
Bush and Forest,
Bamboo Forest.
Forests are in addition named after the locality, such as Benin Forests,
Oban Forests, Ondo Forests. Again, yet another nomenclature is after the
kind of tree represented, such as Evergreen Forest, where all the trees
are evergreen all the year round; for instance, Calabar Forests, Ondo,
South Benin.
The mixed forests and intermediate forests, where the trees are both
evergreen and deciduous, growing side by side, such as Olokemeji
Forests, Benin Forests, Obubra Forests, and Bende Forests. Thus
summarising the Nigerian Forests, we get the following formations:
1. Nigerian Swamp Evergreen: Mangrove, type tree.
2. Evergreen Forests _Lophira procera_, _Parinarium_.
2a. Freshwater Swamp Forests _Cynometra mitragyne_.
3. Mixed Deciduous, intermediate _Triplochiton_, Iroko,
Forests _Chlorophora excelsa_.
3a. Fringing Forests Mixed, deciduous really.
4. Canopied Deciduous Forests Olokemeji: _Berlinia_, _Afzelia_.
(sometimes termed dense Savannah
Forests)
5. Open Deciduous Forests _Paradaniella Oliverii_, _Eugenia
Owariensis_, _Terminalia
Togoensis_.
6. Tree Savannah Orchard Forest _Lophira alata_, Shea butter,
_Acacia_; _Iwu, Oyo, Ndeh_.
7. Treeless Savannah Grass, a few stunted bushes of
_Acacia Isoberlinia_, North Ogoja.