Swietenia

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Swietenia is a genus of trees in the mahogany family Meliaceae. It occurs in the Neotropics, from southern Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America south to Bolivia. It is usually taken to consist of three species, geographically separated. They are medium-sized to large trees growing to 20-45 m tall, and up to 2 m trunk diameter. The leaves are 10-30 cm long, pinnate, with 3-6 pairs of leaflets, the terminal leaflet absent; each leaflet is 5-15 cm long. The leaves are deciduous to semi-evergreen, falling shortly before the new foliage grows. The flowers are produced in loose inflorescences, each flower small, with five white to greenish-yellowish petals. The fruit is a pear-shaped five-valved capsule 8-20 cm long, containing numerous winged seeds about 5-9 cm long.

Related Topics:
Meliaceae - Neotropics - Florida - Caribbean - Mexico - Central America - Bolivia - Leaves - Deciduous - Evergreen - Flower - Inflorescence - Fruit

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;Species

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• Swietenia humilis - Pacific Coast Mahogany. Pacific coast of Central America and Mexico.
• Swietenia macrophylla - Honduras Mahogany. Atlantic coast of Central America, South America south to Bolivia.
• Swietenia mahagoni - West Indian Mahogany. Caribbean, southern Florida.
 
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