Follow us on FACEBOOK
Dominica Botanic Gardens
  • Home
  • About
    • Introduction to Website
    • A Brief History
    • Plan of Gardens
    • Contemporary Commentary
  • Botanic Gardens
    • Selected Trees and Shrubs
    • Medicinal Plants
    • Gardens Activities
    • Florida's Fairchild Garden
    • Parrot and Small Animal Sanctuary
    • Birds of the Gardens
    • Three Virtual Tours
    • Panoramic Views Today
    • Early Panoramic Views
    • Hurricane David's Ravages
    • Future Developments
    • Curators and Administrators
    • Reports and Documents
    • Getting Involved
    • Related Links
  • Hosted Sites
    • Honorees
    • Island Scholars
    • Cabinet Photos
    • Treasures of the Cathedral
    • Diaspora Policy Paper
  • DAAS
  • Contact

Selected Trees and Shrubs
Swietenia macrophylla; Common name: Large Leaf or Honduras Mahogany


Plant Family: Belongs to the Meliaceae, a mostly tropical family, which includes the Small Leaf Mahogany (Swietenia mahogani), Tiama (Entandrophraga angolense) of W. Africa and Neem (Azadiracta indica) of India.

Description: Large, handsome, slow growing, upright tree, distinguished from its cousin, Swietenia mahogani, by its larger leaves and faster growth; sometimes achieving very large size in its natural habitat, up to 45 m in height (150 ft), with bole 2 m or more in diameter (6 ft) above the heavy buttresses; straight, grey trunk and clear boles up to 25 m (80 ft); Botanic Gardens specimens much smaller; heartwood reddish, pinkish, salmon or yellowish when fresh, deepening with age to deep rich red or brown; leaves pinnately compound, alternate and persistent, with 4-8 pairs of leathery, shiny, light green leaflets, 6.5-12.5 cm long (2.5-5 in) and 2.5-5 cm broad (1-2 in); small white or greenish-yellow flowers in axillary panicles; fruit a light-brown, 5-celled, pear-shaped woody capsule, 10-15 cm long (4-6 in) and about 6-7 cm broad (2.5-3 in), splitting upwards from the base to let out numerous winged seeds.

Natural Habitat: Thrives in moderate rainfall to humid climates up to about 600 m elevation (2000 ft); propagated by seeds; is threatened by over-harvesting for commercial trade.

Origin and Distribution: Native of Central America, introduced to southern Mexico, the Caribbean, and tropics and semi-tropics of northern S. America, also introduced to tropical and subtropical Africa and Australia; extensively planted in south Asia and the Pacific.

Uses: Source of Honduras mahogany, a dense timber weighing 30-50 lbs/cu ft; very easy to work with hand and machine tools; easy to finish and takes an excellent polish; highly prized for fine furniture, cabinet making, interior trim, paneling, fancy veneers, musical instruments and boat building
​
References:
Anon. Official Guide to the Botanic Gardens, Dominica. 1924?
C.D. Adams. Flowering Plants of Jamaica. University of the West Indies, Mona, Glasgow University Press 1972
H.F. Macmillan. Tropical Planting and Gardening. Macmillan, London 1956
Martin Chudnoff. Tropical Timbers of the World. USDA Forest Service 1984
Swietenia macrophylla. Danida Forest Seed Center, Humlebaek, Denmark 2000
Robert A.DeFilipps. Useful Plants of the Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies. Smithsonian Institution,Washington, D.C. 1998
​
​​Gardens Introduction

​

Preface - How it Began
Introduction to Website
A Brief History
Plan of Gardens 
Contemporary Commentary​
​Trees, Shrubs, Birds

​
​
Selected Trees and Shrubs
Medicinal Plants
​
Gardens Activities
  Florida's Fairchild Garden
Parrot/Animal Sanctuary
Birds of the Gardens
Garden Views

​
​
Three Virtual Tours
Panoramic Views Today
Early Panoramic Views
 
Hurricane David's Ravages
Future Developments
Curators/Administrators
Reports and Documents
  
Getting Involved
Related Links
Sub-sites

​

Honorees
Island Scholars
Cabinet Photos
​​Treasures of the Cathedral

​Diaspora Policy Paper
​

Visit the DAAS  Website
Picture
HOME
Site by
CONTACT 
Picture

Copyright © -  Davison Shillingford, Clayton Shillingford and (the late) Raglan Riviere