Detailed Product Description

Swietenia is a genus of trees in the family . It occurs in the , from southern , the , and south to .It is usually taken to consist of three species, geographicallyseparated. They are medium-sized to large trees growing to 20-45 mtall, and up to 2 m trunk diameter. The are 10-30 cm long, pinnate, with 3-6 pairs of leaflets, the terminalleaflet absent; each leaflet is 5-15 cm long. The leaves are to semi-, falling shortly before the new foliage grows. The are produced in loose , each flower small, with five white to greenish-yellowish petals. The is a pear-shaped five-valved capsule 8-20 cm long, containing numerous winged seeds about 5-9 cm long.

The three species are poorly defined biologically, in part because they freely when grown in proximity.

• - Pacific Coast Mahogany. Pacific coast of Central America and Mexico.
• - Honduras Mahogany. Atlantic coast of Central America, South America south to Bolivia.
• - West Indian Mahogany. Southern Florida, Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola.

The genus is famed as the supplier of mahogany, at first yielded by Swietenia mahagoni,a Caribbean species, which was so extensively used locally and exportedthat its trade ended by the 1950s. These days almost all mahogany isyielded by the mainland species, Swietenia macrophylla.

is widely cultivated as an in its native range and in southern Florida, and similarly S. macrophylla in and in other countries.

The fruits of Swietenia macrophylla are called "sky fruit",because they seem to hang upwards from the tree. The "sky fruit"concentrate is sold as a natural remedy that is said to improve bloodcirculation and skin. It is also said to have -likequalities regarding erectile dysfunction. Consumption of the sky fruitconcentrate is approved by Malaysia Ministry of Health.^[]

A somewhat comparable wood is yielded by the related African genus . This is traded as African mahogany.

All species of Swietenia are -listed. Swietenia timber that crosses a border needs its paperwork in order. International environmental organizations such as , , and have focused on Swietenia so as to expose illegal traffic in the wood, notably from Brazil.