American Mahogany
Swietenia mahagoni (L.) Jacq.
Swietenia mahagoni (L.) Jacq., known as American Mahogany, is a species of the genus Swietenia in the family Meliaceae. It is native to the Caribbean and parts of the Americas, and has been introduced to regions including India, China, and the Galápagos Islands. The species is the source of original mahogany wood and is cultivated for timber, particularly in Kerala, India. It is listed as 'Threatened' in the Preservation of Native Flora of Florida Act and is the national tree of the Dominican Republic.
Description
Swietenia mahagoni is a tree species with a wide distribution across the Caribbean, the Americas, and parts of Asia. It was first described in 1760 and is known by several common names, including Cuban Mahogany and West Indian Mahogany. The species is valued for its wood, historically used in furniture and construction. The original type specimen is documented in a Catesby plate, later reproduced by Keay in 1996. Its conservation status includes 'Threatened' under Florida legislation.
Other common names
West Indian mahoganyAmerican MahoganyCuban MahoganySmall-leaved Mahoganymahoganywest-indies-mahoganySpanish mahoganyMahogany TreeWest Indies Mahogany
Distribution
BR · SC · CW · AI · KN · ID · IN · DM · Galápagos Islands · TW · Global · Hawaii · Andaman Is. · Assam · Bahamas · Bangladesh · Caroline Is. · Cayman Is. · China South-Central · China Southeast · Cuba · Dominican Republic · Florida · Hainan · Haiti · India · Jamaica · Jawa · Laos · Leeward Is.
Synonyms
Swietenia fabrilisCedrela mahagoniSwietenia mahogoniSwietenia acutifoliaSwietenia mahoganiSwietenia mahagoni var. praecociflora
