The Bark is a deep bluish grey and smooth.
The Wood is white, very soft and of no use whatever.
The Leaves are tripinnate, about a foot long, with some 6 pinnae, each with some 2-5 pinnules, some again with one or two pairs of leaflets and a terminal leaflet. The terminal leaflets are generally larger than the others and all are variable in size and shape from small oval to large spear-shaped leaflets. The foliage is very sparse and graceful.
The Flowers are white, in loose panicles, in flower for many months in the year, during the dry season. Each has a 5-parted calyx with unequal sepals, 5 white petals, the 2 upper ones smaller than the others, 5 stamens with and 5 stamens without anthers, and a slender style. The flowers are sweet-scented.
The Fruits are long, triangular capsules up to 18 inches long, slightly jointed, with 2 grooves down each side, a sharp beak at the tip, light brown in colour and splitting down the 3 edges to release the seeds. These are blackish with 3 papery wings so shaped as to overlap and fit into one another, the bottom of the one seed touching the top of the wings of the one below it. The white pith, with a sheen, is indented to hold the seeds.
Uses.—It is commonly used as a fencing to compounds, the mats or cornstalks of which the fence is composed being tied to the growing trees. The roots are eaten as horse-radish and the leaves fresh as a vegetable. The seeds yield a very fine oil (oil of Ben) which has been pronounced as suitable for watch lubrication.
OCHNA HILLII Hutch. OCHNACEAE.
This is a small tree, common locally in parts of Zaria, Bauchi and S. Sokoto, not extending north of 12°. It is as a rule slender and erect, up to 15 feet in height, older trees forming a round crown, younger ones often shrub-like. The yellow flowers and red and black fruiting stage are very conspicuous and the serrate obovate leaves are typical.