Plant
Big-leaf Mahogany
Swietenia macrophyllaAlso known as Honduran Mahogany, Honduras Mahogany, Broad-leaved Mahogany, Brazilian Mahogany
Emerging high above the tropical canopy, big-leaf mahogany is an iconic rainforest giant famous for its rich, reddish-brown hardwood. Massive woody capsules split open high in the branches, releasing dozens of paper-winged seeds that spiral on forest breezes to colonize clearings. Decades of heavy logging have decimated wild populations across Central and South America, making pristine old-growth specimens an increasingly rare sight.
Canopy TreeTropical
—observations
—countries
—peak records
EndangeredConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXEndangeredRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAutotrophic (Photosynthesis)
Predators
- Mahogany Shoot Borer
- Mahogany Webworm
- Bark Beetles
ThreatsIllegal logging, overharvesting, deforestation, land conversion
HabitatsTropical rainforests, humid lowland forests, river basins
Life span100–350 years
Classification
- OrderSapindales
- FamilyMeliaceae
- GenusSwietenia
- SpeciesSwietenia macrophylla
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- What to notice
- Recognized by its massive buttressed trunk, dark reddish-brown fissured bark, and large pinnate leaves.
- Support conservation
- Never purchase wild-harvested mahogany products without verified sustainable certification, and leave wild trees undisturbed.
Responsible observation
- Spotting Foliage: Look for large pinnate leaves with 3 to 6 pairs of glossy, asymmetric leaflets.
- Finding Seeds: Search the forest floor under mature canopy trees for large woody seed pods or paper-winged seeds.
- Responsible Tourism: Visit protected reserves to view ancient emergent specimens in their natural habitat.
Close Relative (c) Lalithamba, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Francisco Farriols Sarabia, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Francisco Farriols Sarabia · cc-by
Family Member (c) Kelin Guerra, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kelin Guerra · cc-by
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