Swietenia macrophylla
Swietenia macrophylla
- Common name
- Caoba
- Scientific name
- Swietenia macrophylla
- Genus
- Swietenia
- Family
- Meliaceae
Natural history
Swietenia macrophylla is a tropical American member of Meliaceae, native to Costa Rica. Its compound leaves carry leaflets along a central rachis. Woody capsules release winged seeds dispersed by wind.
Regeneration involves a sequence of opportunities: producing seeds, reaching suitable ground and finding conditions for growth. Light is particularly relevant to establishment and development. The value of its timber has prompted research on cultivation, seed origins and genetic selection.
Costa Rican progeny trials and clonal plantations show why planting any mahogany anywhere is not a complete strategy. Variation between families and damage from shoot borers help shape growth. This record connects visible morphology with those questions of regeneration.