Swietenia macrophylla
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Meliaceae
Genus:	Swietenia
Species:	S. macrophylla
Binomial name
Swietenia macrophylla King
Historic range of big-leaf mahogany in South America
Current range of big-leaf mahogany in South America
Synonyms[1]
Swietenia belizensis Lundell Swietenia candollei Pittier Swietenia krukovii Gleason Swietenia macrophylla var. marabaensis Ledoux & Lobato Swietenia tessmannii Harms

Swietenia macrophylla, commonly known as mahogany,^[2]Honduran mahogany,^[2]Honduras mahogany,^[3]big-leaf mahogany,^[4] or West Indian mahogany,^[5] is a species of plant in the Meliaceae family. It is one of three species that yields genuine mahogany timber (Swientenia), the others being Swietenia mahagoni and Swietenia humilis. It is native to South America and Mexico, but naturalized in the Philippines, Singapore and Hawaii,^[2][6] and cultivated in plantations and wind-breaks elsewhere.^[5]

Description[edit]

Wood[edit]

Mahogany wood is strong and is usually a source for furniture, musical instruments, ships, doors, coffins, decors. ^[7]

Leaves[edit]

Mahogany is characterised by its large leaves (up to 45 cm long). The leaflets were even number and were connected by a central midrib. ^[7]

Fruits[edit]

The fruits are called "sky fruits" because of its upwards growth towards the sky. The fruits of mahogany can be measure to 40 cm in length, in a light grey to brown capsule. Each fruit capsule could contain 71 winged seeds. ^[7]

Seeds[edit]

The seeds of mahogany can reach 7 to 12 cm long.^[7]

Timber[edit]

Unlike mahogany sourced from its native locations, plantation mahogany grown in Asia is not restricted in trade. The mahogany timber grown in these Asian plantations is the major source of international trade in genuine mahogany today. The Asian countries which grow the majority of Swietenia macrophylla are India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Fiji, Philippines, Singapore, and some others, with India and Fiji being the major world suppliers. The tree is also planted in Laos PDR.^{[citation needed]}

Medicinal use[edit]

Sky fruit concentrate and pure Swietenia Mahogany seed are approved by Ministry of Health Malaysia as a natural remedy. Research has demonstrated its anti-hyperglycaemic activity in normoglyceamic rats. ^[8]

There are also claims of its ability to improve blood circulation and skin condition, as well as anti-erectile dysfunction. ^[9]

However, there are reports of liver injury or hepatotoxicity after consumption of Mahogany Seeds both in raw form and capsule form. The severity of liver damage varies. There are also the report of single case kidney injury and polyarthralgia. In most cases, the liver function was recovered after stopping the consumption. The exact mechanism of these adverse events is currently unknown. ^[10][11]

Common names[edit]

The species is also known under other common names, including bastard mahogany,^[12] broad-leaved mahogany, Brazilian mahogany, large-leaved mahogany, genuine mahogany, tropical American mahogany, and sky fruit, among others.^{[citation needed]}

• English - big leaf mahogany, large-leaved mahogany, Brazilian mahogany


• French - Acajou à grandes feuilles, acajou du Honduras


• Spanish - caoba, mara, mogno


• Malayalam - mahagony


• Tamil - Thenkani (தேன்கனி)


• Telugu - mahagani, peddakulamaghani


• Sinhala - mahogani (මහෝගනි)


• Chinese - 向天果

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  Mahogany trees
  

  
  

  
  


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  Young tree
  

  
  

  
  


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  Young Bark
  

  
  

  
  


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  Old Bark and leaves
  

  
  

  
  


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  Fruit with leaves
  

  
  

  
  


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  Bark pattern on mahogany tree.
  

  
  

  
  


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  Mahogany seed.
  

  
  

  
  


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  Wood
  

  
  

  
  


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  Historic distribution of mahogany from Mexico to southeastern Amazonia according to Lamb (1966). From Martinez et al. 2008.^{[citation needed]}

  
  

  
  


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  Revised historic distribution of mahogany in South America based on expert surveys. From Martinez et al. 2008.^{[citation needed]}

  
  

  
  


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  Historic distribution of mahogany in Mexico and Central America. From Calvo et al. 2000.^{[citation needed]}

  
  

  
  

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• 
  Media related to Swietenia macrophylla at Wikimedia Commons


• 
  Data related to Swietenia macrophylla at Wikispecies