botanical features, geographical distribution, uses made by Tanoy Roy

1. Tanoy Kumar Roy
Department of Agroforestry and Environmental Science
Sylhet Agricultural University,Sylhet-3100
An assignment on Mahogany Tree
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2. Name: Mahogany
Scientific Name: Swietenia macrophylla
Family: Meliaceae
The specific name "macrophylla' means large leaved and comes from
Greek words "makros” means large and 'phyllon' means leaf.
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3. Botanical features;
Swietenia macrophylla is a very large
tree, reaching a height of 30-40 m
and a girth of 14 m; in favorable
conditions it can reach 60 m high and
9 m girth. Trunk straight, cylindrical,
with a buttressed base. Bark rough,
flaking off in small patches.
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4. Leaves
Leaves paripinnate, up to 60 cm
long; leaflets 6-16, ovate-lanceolate,
acuminate, slightly oblique, light
green or reddish when young, dark
green and shinning when mature, up
to 20 cm long .
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5. Flowers
Flowers in short, axillary panicles.
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6. Fruit
Fruit is a woody capsule, erect,
brown. Seeds deep brown,
winged at one end only.
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7. Adaptability
Altitude range: 0-1500 m
Mean annual temperature: 20-28°C
Mean annual rainfall: 1600-2500 mm
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8. Soil type
It grows best on well-
drained sites with medium
to heavy soils.
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9. Geographical
distribution
Swietenia macrophylla is
native to Bolivia, Brazil,
Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico,
Peru and Venezuela.
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10. Establishment:
Occurrence/Planting site
Presently widely planted in different parts
of the country, particularly in the form of
block or linear strip plantation. It is also
planted in association with other trees like
Dalbergia sissoo. In the homestead, it can
be grown in linear pattern.
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11. Collection of seeds
Seeds are collected from the ripe
fruits during January to March.
Collected fruits are dried and stored.
From one fruit 40-60 seeds are
available. Seeds are brown in color.
Per kg seed contains about 1600-
2150 seeds.
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12. Seedlings
Seeds are sown in seedbed on line or
in polybag. The germination rate is 40%
and it takes about 15-20 days to
complete germination. Direct sowing is
possible.
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13. Care and protection
Young Mahogany terminal shoot is attacked by top shoot borer. The borer
penetrates through top shoot and goes inside vertically a few inches, as a
result lateral shoots occur. Those lateral shoots should be removed, when they
are small.
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14. Other Diseases
Mahagony is subjected to various
fungal diseases, such as-
anthracnose, witches’ broom, leaf
spot, root rot, canker and stem canker
and gall.
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15. Pruning & thinning
Early pruning is needed specially to remove the lateral shoots or multiple
shoots, otherwise big knots will develop. Pruning should be done without
any bark damage.The weak, suppressed and deformed trees should be
removed from the plantation.
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16. Growth and yield
Significant variation in growth has been reported depending on quality of seedlings used
for planting. Small seedlings perform better growth compared to tall seedlings.
Mahogany tree has slow growth at an early stage. The initial yield per tree can be about
0.5 cubic feet per year and a later stage much better growth can be expected.
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17. Use
Mahogany wood is
reddish-brown in color and
moderately hard, used for
making furniture, musical
instruments, construction
work etc.
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