Swietenia macrophylla King, Meliaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 4 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Honduras mahogany, big-leaf mahogany, broadleaved mahogany, large-leaved mahogany, mahogany, sky fruit tree

French: acajou

Samoan: mahoki

Spanish: aguano, caoba

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Large tree; leaves 15-35 cm long; leaflets in 6-12 pairs, lanceolate, 7-15 cm long, 2.5-7 cm wide, inequilateral at base, acuminate at apex, petioluled, entire, coriaceous, glabrous; panicles 9-20 cm long; bracts and bracteoles orbicular or nearly so, deciduous; calyx cup 2-2.5 mm wide, lobes rounded; petals obovate to spatulate, 5-6 mm long, 2-3 mm wide; capsule ovoid, 12-15 cm long, 7-7.5 cm wide, acute to acuminate apically; seeds 7.5-8.5 cm long, the wing about twice as long as body, reddish brown."  (Wiggins & Porter, 1971; pp. 699-700).

Habitat/ecology:  "Forests and forest edges.  A fast growing and shade tolerant tree that withstands pronounced periods of dry weather.  It establishes well in disturbed sites and in secondary forests, becoming the dominant species and will suppress native plants"  (Weber, 2003; p. 423).

In Hawai‘i (West Maui), widely naturalized in disturbed lowland mesic forest (Meidell et al., 1998; pp. 6-7). Moist forests (Wiggins & Porter, 1971; pp. 699-700).

Propagation:  "Seed production is prolific and seeds are dispersed by wind.  The tree has some ability to sprout after cutting"  (Weber, 2003; p. 423).

Native range:  Southern Mexico to Peru and Brazil (Wiggins & Porter, 1971; pp. 699-700).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Saipan	Saipan Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 40)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	introduced cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island	introduced cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 128)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 20)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced cultivated	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 112)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (pp. 573-574) Vouchers cited: DF 602 (S1401/2), Damanu 128, DF 601 (S1401/1), DA 16412, DA 16418, DA 13799 (DF 264),DF 603 (S1401/3), DF 604 (S1401/4),Vesa 5, DF 605 (S1401/5)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 76)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 128)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Meidell, J. Scott/Oppenheimer, H. L./Bartlett, R. T. (1998) (pp. 6-7) West Maui. Voucher cited: Meidell & Oppenheimer 201 (BISH) Widespread in disturbed lowland mesic forest.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Meidell, J. Scott/Oppenheimer, H. L./Bartlett, R. T. (1998) (pp. 6-7) Voucher cited: Wood 5084 (BISH)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 101) Voucher cited: Dapzol in MacKee 39604
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 119) Voucher cited: 169805
Palau Kayangel Atoll	Kayangel Islet	introduced invasive cultivated	Miles, Joel (2015) (p. 2) ref states "Cultivated"
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced	Raulerson, L./Rinehart, A. F./Falanruw, M. C. (1996) (p. 31)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Kayangel (Ngcheangel) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 65) Voucher: Lorence 9790 (PTBG, BNM, NY)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Kayangel (Ngcheangel) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2008) (voucher ID: PTBG 83) Taxon name on voucher: Swietenia macrophylla King
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 128)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	introduced	Pallawatta, Nirmalie/Reaser, Jamie K./Gutierrez, Alixis T./eds. (2003) (p. 81)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced cultivated	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 111)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 82) Casual
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Mascarene Islands Mascarene Islands (Mauritius, La Reunion, Rodrigues)	Mascarene Islands	introduced	Weber, Ewald (2003) (p. 423)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Frégate Island		Robertson, S. A./Todd, D. M. (1983) (p. 54)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Comments:  Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station.

Control: 

Physical:  Hand pull or dig out seedlings and young plants.

Chemical:  Cut large plants and treat the stumps with herbicide (Weber, 2003; p. 423).