mahogany

Swietenia · Accepted scientific name

Scientific literature: Very Sparse (4 studies) · ★☆☆☆☆

Mahogany, scientifically known as Swietenia, is a genus of deciduous trees celebrated for their exquisite timber and profound medicinal properties. Native to tropical regions, these plants offer therapeutic benefits, particularly in traditional practices for treating skin ailments, inflammation, and various infections through their potent bioactive compounds and essential oils.

Family
Meliaceae
Native range
Africa
Parts used
Not available
Common names
Mahogany
Scientific synonyms
Roia · Mahagoni

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Swietenia

Synonyms

Regional and Traditional Names

Spanish:

  • Caoba
  • Caobas
  • Caoba

German:

  • Westindisches Mahagoni
  • Mahagoni
  • Mahagoni

French:

  • Acajou à grandes feuilles

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is classified within the order Sapindales and the family Meliaceae. Finally, it is identified under the genus Swietenia.

Rank Classification
Kingdom Plantae
Phylum Streptophyta
Class Equisetopsida
Subclass Magnoliidae
Order Sapindales
Family Meliaceae
Genus Swietenia

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning across several distinct regions. In the Western Indian Ocean, it can be found inhabiting the islands of Comoros, Mauritius, and Réunion. Additionally, its presence extends to the Seychelles within that same oceanic area. Beyond the Indian Ocean, the species is also documented in the South-Central part of China. These locations highlight the wide ecological range that the Swietenia genus occupies.

Region Area
Western Indian Ocean Comoros
Western Indian Ocean Mauritius
Western Indian Ocean Réunion
Western Indian Ocean Seychelles
China China South-Central
China Hainan
China China Southeast
Eastern Asia Taiwan
Indian Subcontinent Assam
Indian Subcontinent Bangladesh

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Activities

Swietenia has 3 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Antimutagenic.

Activities reported in Swietenia
Activity Supporting sources Consensus
Anticancer 1 supporting sources ★☆☆☆☆
Antimicrobial 1 supporting sources ★☆☆☆☆
Antimutagenic 1 supporting sources ★☆☆☆☆

Anticancer

  1. International journal of nanomedicine

Antimicrobial

  1. International journal of nanomedicine

Antimutagenic

  1. International journal of nanomedicine