Swietenia mahogani
(L.) Jacq.
Cuban Mahogany
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Beth Escobar, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Beth Escobar, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Beth Escobar, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
An evergreen tree. Sometimes it loses its leaves for a short period. It can grow 30 m high. The trunk branches at the top. The leaves are long and divided into leaflets along the stalk. There are 4-5 oval leaflets which taper to the tip. The flowers are small and yellow-white. They grow in panicles in the axils of leaves. The fruit are woody capsules. The fruit are large and these open at the base to release a number of winged seeds. The fruit open in 5 sections. The seeds are flat and have wings.
Known Hazards
The fruit and seeds are poisonous.
Distribution
A tropical plant. It is native to S Florida, the Caribbean and the West Indies. It grows in humid and dry lowland woodland. It often grows in seasonally flooded areas. It will grow in limestone soils. It is a tropical plant. It suits hardiness zones 11-12. In Yunnan. In Townsville Queens BG.
Where It Grows
Africa, Andamans, Antigua and Barbuda, Asia, Australia, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Central America, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Fiji, Grenada, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indochina, Jamaica, Laos, Marquesas, Mozambique, Myanmar, Pacific, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Tropical America, USA, West Indies,
Cultivation
Plants can be grown from seed or by rooting cuttings in a hotbed.
Production
It is fast growing.
Notes
There are 3 Swietenia species.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Cheriamahogany, Ciminukku, Jamaica Mahogany, Mahaagonichekka, Mahaagonichettu, Mahagni, Mahagoni, Mahoni, Puerto Rico Mahogany, Spanish Mahogany
References (19)
- Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 609
- Barwick, M., 2004, Tropical and Subtropical Trees. A Worldwide Encyclopedic Guide. Thames and Hudson p 388
- Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 2 (I-Z) p 2148
- Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1383
- Engel, D.H., & Phummai, S., 2000, A Field Guide to Tropical Plants of Asia. Timber Press. p 91
Show all 19 references Hide references
- Enum. syst. pl. 20. 1760 (Select. stirp. amer. hist. 127. 1763)
- Flora of Pakistan. www.eFloras.org
- Franklin, J., Keppel, G., & Whistler, W., 2008, The vegetation and flora of Lakeba, Nayau and Aiwa Islands, Central Lau Group, Fiji. Micronesica 40(1/2): 169–225, 2008
- Grandtner, M. M., 2008, World Dictionary of Trees. Wood and Forest Science Department. Laval University, Quebec, Qc Canada. (Internet database http://www.wdt.qc.ca)
- Heywood, V.H., Brummitt, R.K., Culham, A., and Seberg, O. 2007, Flowering Plant Families of the World. Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. p 207
- Krishen P., 2006, Trees of Delhi, A Field Guide. DK Books. p 226
- Marinelli, J. (Ed), 2004, Plant. DK. p 125
- Plants of Haiti Smithsonian Institute http://botany.si.edu/antilles/West Indies
- Recher, P, 2001, Fruit Spirit Botanical Gardens Plant Index. www.nrg.com.au/~recher/ seedlist.html p 7
- Schuler, S., (Ed.), 1977, Simon & Schuster's Guide to Trees. Simon & Schuster. No. 172
- Smith, A.C., 1985, Flora Vitiensis Nova, Lawaii, Kuai, Hawaii, Volume 3 p 574
- Smith, N., Mori, S.A., et al, 2004, Flowering Plants of the Neotropics. Princeton. Plate 30 (Photo)
- Wongprasert, T. et al, 2011, A Synoptic Account of the Meliaceae of Thailand. Thai For. Bull. 39:210-266
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
