African mahogany

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• African Mahogany
• Lagos Mahogany
• African-mahogany
• Ivory Coast khaya
• Lagos-mahogany

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Khaya caudata
• Khaya klainei

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Khaya ivorensis, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Sapindales and the family Meliaceae. Its taxonomic identity is further defined by its placement within the genus Khaya.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily found throughout the West Tropical Africa region. Within this vast area, its presence is specifically noted in the country of Ghana. It also inhabits the diverse landscapes of Guinea and the Ivory Coast. Furthermore, the species can be located across the terrain of Liberia. Finally, its geographical range extends into the nation of Nigeria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Khaya ivorenii is characterized by its nature as a perennial species, allowing it to establish a long-term presence within its native forest ecosystems. As a robust woody plant, it maintains a stable physiological structure over many years, contributing to the long-term architecture of its habitat. Throughout its existence, the plant exhibits an evergreen deciduousness, meaning it retains its foliage year-round rather than shedding leaves seasonally. This continuous presence of green leaves facilitates uninterrupted photosynthetic activity, supporting its sustained growth and long-lived biological cycle.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

Morphologically, Khaya ivorensis is characterized as a large, woody tree that exhibits a self-supporting growth habit. As a terrestrial species, it is neither aquatic nor an epiphyte, growing independently without parasitic tendencies. The plant reaches significant dimensions, with an average height of approximately 40 m, though it can attain a maximum height of up to 54.86 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

54.86466715 m

Plant height mean:

40 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Khaaya ivorenensis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common metabolic strategy among many tropical forest tree species that involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle. Unlike plants utilizing C4 or CAM pathways, its carbon assimilation is highly dependent on efficient stomatal regulation to balance gas exchange with transpiration rates. Furthermore, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium available within the soil matrix to support its growth and metabolic processes.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Khaya ivorenensis is characterized by specific seed morphology and dispersal mechanisms that facilitate its propagation in the wild. The seeds produced by this species exhibit a relatively small size, with a recorded minimum mass of 0.165 g and a maximum mass of 0.24 g, resulting in a calculated mean seed mass of 0.20068 g. Regarding its reproductive strategy, the plant utilizes an anemochorous dispersal syndrome, relying on wind currents to transport its seeds away from the parent tree to colonize new areas.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Seed mass max:

0.24 g

Seed mass mean:

0.20068 g

Seed mass min:

0.165 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Khaya ivorensis has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Phytochemistry

Activities

Khaya ivorensis has 2 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antidiabetic.

Anticancer

1. Phytochemistry

Antidiabetic

1. Planta medica

Medicinal Uses

Khaya ivorensis has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include malaria.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations