Scientific name: Swietenia mahagoni

POWO Status: Tree

IUCN Red List threat level: Near Threatened

GPS Location: 17° 42′ 55.71″ N, 64° 49′ 52.56″ W

Medicinal Uses

Swietenia mahagoni (Mahogany) is traditionally used in folk medicine for diabetes, hypertension, malaria, diarrhea, and inflammation, with seeds and bark being key parts, possessing properties like antioxidant, antimicrobial, and blood sugar-lowering effects, though modern research focuses heavily on its potential anti-diabetic and cardiovascular benefits from compounds like swietenine. 

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• Diabetes & Hypertension: Seeds are chewed or decocted to manage blood sugar and blood pressure.
• Fever & Pain: Used as an antipyretic (fever reducer) and for chest pain.
• Digestive Issues: Bark and seed extracts treat diarrhea, dysentery, and act as a bitter tonic.
• Skin Ailments: Applied topically for psoriasis, wounds, and as an insect repellent.
• Malaria & Infections: Used in traditional remedies for malaria and amoebiasis.
• General Wellness: Acts as an astringent, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory agent. 

Scientifically Studied Properties (Often from Seeds) 

• Antidiabetic: Compounds help lower blood glucose and restore liver function.
• Cardiovascular: Exhibits antihypertensive effects by relaxing blood vessels.
• Antioxidant & Anti-inflammatory: Fights oxidative stress and inflammation.
• Antimicrobial: Shows activity against various bacteria and fungi.
• Anticancer: Extracts demonstrate antitumor potential in studies. 

Key Phytochemicals & Mechanisms

• Swietenine: A key compound with potential anti-diabetic effects.
• Triterpenoids & Limonoids: Contribute to its diverse biological activities.
• Flavonoids: Found in extracts, linked to vasorelaxant effects. 

Important Considerations

• While promising, much research is preclinical; more human trials are needed.
• Some traditional uses, like for abortion, carry risks; the plant’s seeds can have side effects in some individuals, such as inflammatory arthritis.

Observations:

Phenological Markers – West Indian Mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni)

1. Leaf Behavior
This species is deciduous, shedding all or most of its leaves during the dry season, especially in January through March in St. Croix.

• Leaf drop often precedes or coincides with flowering.
• The tree quickly produces a new flush of compound leaves—pinnate with 4–8 pairs of leaflets—just before or during flowering.

Observation Tips:

• Record canopy thinning and full leaf drop, especially in January–February.
• Track leaf bud swelling and emergence of fresh foliage—usually a bright light green.

2. Flowering
Mahogany flowers are small, greenish-yellow, and fragrant, appearing in panicles at the ends of twigs.

• Flowering typically occurs from March to May following leaf drop.
• Trees may flower before full canopy is restored, making inflorescences more visible.
• Flowers are insect-pollinated, often attracting bees and small beetles.

Observation Tips:

• Look for tight, upright clusters of buds.
• Document flower opening, insect activity, and flower duration (short-lived).
• Peak bloom is often brief but intense.

3. Fruiting
Mahogany produces woody, oval seed capsules, about 2–4 inches long, that mature over several months.

• Capsules split open into five parts, releasing numerous winged seeds that are wind-dispersed.
• Fruiting typically peaks in late summer to early fall (August–October).
• Empty capsules may remain on the tree long after seed dispersal.

Observation Tips:

• Track pod swelling, surface texture changes, and the moment of dehiscence (splitting).
• Collect or photograph dispersed seeds and their distinctive wings.
• Note wind conditions during dispersal—seeds may travel significant distances.

4. Seasonal Pattern (St. Croix)

• Jan–Mar: Leaf drop
• Mar–May: Flowering + early leaf flush
• Jun–Aug: Fruit development
• Aug–Oct: Seed dispersal
• Nov–Dec: Full canopy and seed capsules may persist