Evaluation of timber trees producing valuable fruits and seeds in cross river state

Abstract

The study assessed two rain forest reserves in Cross River State for timber trees producing economically valuable fruits and seeds. The reserves are Afi River and Oban West forest reserves. A total of 18 and 42 tree species were enumerated in Afi River and oban West respectively. In Afi River forest, Brachystegia eurycoma had the highest population of 5 per hectare while Canarium schweinfurtii, Dacroydes edulis, Garcinia kola, Irvingia gabonensis, Parkia bicolor, Pentaclethra macrophylla, Recinodendron heudelotii, Tetrapleura tetraptera and Vitex species had the least of 1 each per hectare. In Oban West forest reserve, Allanblakia floribunda had the highest population of 11 per hectare, while Brachystegia eurycoma, Chrisophyllum albidum, Recinodendron heudelotii, Tetrapleura tetraptera and Xylopia aethiopica had the least of 1 each per hectare. It is observed that most of the timber trees producing valuable fruits and seeds have low frequency of occurrence due to timber exploration thereby calling for their conservation and protection.