Swietenia macrophylla

Swietenia macrophylla
	Swietenia macrophylla
Conservation status
	; Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	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
	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] or big-leaf mahogany,^[4] is a species of plant in the Meliaceae family. It is one of three species that yields genuine mahogany timber, the others being Swietenia mahagoni and Swietenia humilis. It is native to South America and Mexico, but naturalized in Singapore and Hawaii,^[2] and cultivated in plantations elsewhere.^[5]

The species is also known under other common names, including broad-leaved mahogany, Brazilian mahogany, large-leaved mahogany, genuine mahogany, tropical American mahogany, and sky fruit, among others.^{[citation needed]} ^[6]

Overview

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]}

Common Names

English - big leaf mahogany, large-leaved mahogany, Brazilian mahogany
French - Mahogani grands feuilles
Spanish - caoba, mara, mogno
Malayalam - mahagony
Telugu - mahagani, peddakulamaghani
Sinhala - mahogani (මහෝගනි)

Young tree in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Young Bark in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Old Bark & leaves in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Leaves & Pond Heron in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Fruit with leaves at Branch Canopy in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Bark pattern on mahogany tree.
Mahogany seed.
Swietenia macrophylla wood.
Historic distribution of mahogany from Mexico to southeastern Amazonia according to Lamb (1966). From Martinez et al. 2008.
Revised historic distribution of mahogany in South America based on expert surveys. From Martinez et al. 2008.
Historic distribution of mahogany in Mexico and Central America. From Calvo et al. 2000.