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MAHOGANY, CAOBA, MARA (Swietenia macrophylla)
Trade Name
Mahogany, Caoba, Mara
Scientific Name
Swietenia macrophylla King
Family
MELIACEAE
Common Names
Zopilozontecomacuahuitl; Zopilote; Zopilocuahuitl; Venezuela mahogany; Tzutzul; Tabasco mahogany; Sisam; Resadillo; Red wood; Red cedar; Punab; Palo xopilote; Mogno do rio Jurupari; Mahogany Honduras; Madeira; Guatemala mahogany; Flor de veradillo; Costa Rica mahogany; Chiapas; Chacalte; Central American mahogany; Cedro-rana; Caoba de Honduras; Campeche; Broad-leaved mahogany; Brazilian mahogany; Big-leafed mahogany; Bay-mahogany; Bastard lime; Aquano de tabasco; Acajou du Honduras; Caoba (Peru); Palo Zopilote; Orura; Mara (Bolivia); Mahogany; Honduras Mahogany; Cobano; Chiculte; Caobilla; Caoba De Atlántico; Caguano; Bigleaf Mahogany; Big Leafed Mahogany; Belize Mahogany; Aguano (Brazil); Acajou Amerique; Acajou; Mogno (Brazil); Peruvian Mahogany; Grootblad Mahogany; Large Leaved Mahogany; Bay Mahogany; Tzopilote; Mahonie; Granadillo; Gateado; Flor De Venadillo; Crura; Cuban Mahogany; Central America Mahogany; Chiculti; Cedro Espinoso; Cedro Cebollo; Cedro Carmesi; Caoba Roja; Caoba Americana; Caoba Mahogany; Caoba Hondurena; Cabano; Acajou D`Amerique; Aguano De Tabasco; Baywood; Araputanga (Brazil); Acajou Blanc; American Mahogany
Scientific Name Synonyms
Swietenia krukovii Gleason; Swietenia candollei Pittier; Swietenia belizensis Lundell
Description Of The Tree
Botanical Description
It can reach a height of 35 m, with a diameter of 130 cm or more, but more commonly about 80 to 100 cm. The bole is cylindrical and straight, free of branches to about 15 to 20 m. presents well developed buttresses.
Natural Habitat
Swietenia macrophylla is widely distributed in the Amazon basin, on terra firme forests. It prefers clayey soils. The level of exploitation has led to the exhaustion of supplies. particularly in the northern parts of its range. It is listed as endangered.
Natural Distribution
It is found from Central America to tropical South America. In Brazil it is reported to be more abundant in the south of Para state.
Plantations Available?
S. macrophylla is planted all over the tropics. Plantations are reported in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Malaysia, Philippines, India, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Wood Identification
Anatomic Description Of Wood
Wood diffuse porous. Vessels solitary and in short radial multiples. Tangential diameter of vessel lumina 150 to 200 micras (medium). Colored deposits in heartwood vessels. White deposits in heartwood vessels. Vessels per mm2 6 to 10 (medium). Simple perforatio Axial parenchyma in marginal or in seemingly marginal bands. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty and/or vasicentric. Axial parenchyma storied. Prismatic crystals in non-chambered axial parenchyma cells. 5 to 8 cells per parenchyma strand. 4 to 10 rays per mm (medium). Rays and/or axial elements irregularly storied. Rays storied. Rays 1 to 4 seriate. Prismatic crystals in the ray cells. Body ray cells procumbent with one row of upright and/or square marginal cells (Kribs-III). Septate fibers present. Fibers with simple to minutely bordered pits.
Availability
Cites Status
Listed in CITES II
General Wood Description
Odor
Odor and taste are reported to be indistinct.
Color
The sapwood is distinct but not clearly demarcated from the heartwood. The heartwood is reddish or pinkish brown when freshly cut, turning into a deep rich red brown color after exposure.
COLOR INDEX (1=Black, 7=Light yellow,white)
4
Grain
The grain is straight to slightly interlocked. Depending on the cut, it often produces a highly attractive figure.
Texture
The texture is fine or medium, and uniform.
Luster
The surface of the wood is naturally high in luster.
Natural Durability
It has high durability, and is resistant to brown and white rot fungi. It is moderately resistant to dry-wood termites, but susceptible to marine borer attack.
Natural durability index (1= Very high durability, 7=Vey low durability)
2
Internal Growth Stresses
Tension wood may be present, and may contribute to high longitudinal shrinkage.
Resistance To Impregnation
This species is reported to be impermeable.
Wood Physical Properties
Basic Density or Specific Gravity (O.D. weight/vol. green) (g/cm³)
0.52
Air-dry Density (Weight and volume at 12%MC) (g/cm³)
0.56
Total shrinkage Tangential (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
4.5
Total shrinkage Radial (Saturated to 0%MC) (%)
3.2
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying: It is reported to air season rapidly. Drying Defects: Moderate warping and surface checking. In Venezuela a tendency to collapse and twist is also reported. Kiln Schedules: Slow drying is recommended.
Recommended Dry Kiln Schedule
UK-F; US-T6-D4
Dimensional stability ratio (Total Tangential Shrinkage %/Total Radial Shrinkage %)
1.4
Wood Chemical Properties
Wood Mechanical Properties
Bending Strength (MOR),12%MC (kgf/cm²)
878
Stiffness (MOE) 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
99530
Compression parallel to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
481
Compression perpendicular to fiber 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
70
Shear strength radial 12%MC (kgf/cm²)
96
Janka hardness (side) 12%MC (kgf)
370
Janka hardness (end grain) 12%MC (kgf)
495
Workability
Sawing
The wood offers small cutting resistance.
Rotary Veneer Cutting
S. macrophylla can be used for slicing and peeling (thermal treatment recommended).
Sliced Veneer
S. macrophylla can be used for slicing and peeling (thermal treatment recommended).
Blunting Effect
The wood has slight blunting effect on cutting edges.
Planing
It is easy to plane, occasionally the grain may chip and tear.
Moulding
The wood is reported to respond well to ordinary machine tools in molding.
Turning
30
Boring
Boring properties are rated as good.
Mortising
The timber responds readily to ordinary tools in mortising operations.
Nailing
The timber is reported to have good nailing properties.
Gluing
This species is easy to glue.
Sanding
Sanding operations are reported to be fairly easy.
Finishing
It gives an excellent finish.
Staining
The wood takes stains well.
Coatings
Varnishing qualities are reported to be good.
Polishing
The wood polishes rather well.
Steam Bending
Steam bending properties are rated as fairly good.
Response To Hand Tools
The wood is reported to respond well to hand tools.
Substitute Species
The following African species are also known as Mahogany: Khaya ivorensis , K. anthotheca , K. grandifolia , and K. senegalensis
REFERENCED USES
End Uses Summary
HOUSING GENERAL, boards, flooring, frames, steps, panelling, FURNITURE AND CABINETS, luxury furniture, cabinets, PLYWOOD AND VENEER, faces, Decorative veneer, TURNING, lasts, BENDING, chairs, tennis rackets, SPORTS, table tennis, NAVAL CONSTRUCTION, boats, OTHER AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, guitar, handicrafts, moldings
General Housing
- 10 - Silica in Timbers
Boards
- 13 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section III. Latin American (Mexico, Central, and South America) Woods–Conventional Temperatures
Flooring
- 14 - Handbook of Hardwoods
Frames
- 16 - Woods of the World
Steps
- 17 - Tree Conservation Database
Paneling
- 18 - W3TROPICOS Missouri Botanical Garden
Furniture Cabinets
- 21 - Tropical timbers of the world. Part III-Southeast Asian and Oceanian Species.
Furniture, Luxury
- 22 - Dry kiln schedules for commercial woods. Temperate and tropical. Section IV-Asian and Oceanian Woods
Cabinet
- 24 - Empire Timbers
Panels, Veneers
- 25 - Directory of Timber Trade Malaysia
Faces
- 26 - Annual Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 1998-ITTO
Decorative veneer
- 28 - Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forest of Fiji
Turning
- 30 - Embassy of Honduras in Japan
Lasts
- 34 - Embassy of Indonesia in Japan
Bending
- 35 - Embassy of Myanmar in Japan
Chairs
- 36 - Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente, Panama
Tennis Rackets
- 37 - Annual Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 1998-ITTO
Sports
- 38 - Annual Review and Assessment of the World Timber Situation 1998-ITTO
- 41 - Embassy of the Philippines
Shipbuilding
- 55 - Tropical Timber Atlas of Latin America
Boats
- 56 - Manual de Identificación de Especies Forestales de la Subregión Andina.
Other & Musical Instruments
- 63 - Madeiras do Brazil II
Guitar
- 65 - Maderas latinoamericanas VI. Bursera simaruba. Poulsenia armata, Pterocarpus officinalis y Ficus werckleana
Handcraft
- 66 - Maderas latinoamericanas. VII. Caracteristicas anatomicas. propiedades fisicomecanicas, de secado, y tratabilidad de la madera juvenil de Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav. Oken.)
Molding
- 79 - Padronização da Nomenclatura Comercial Brasileira das Madeiras Tropicais Amazônicas, Sugestão
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