Mahogany

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Mahogany
Mahogany, common name for a medium-size family (about 550 species in about 50 genera) of tropical trees and shrubs important for high-quality woods (see Soapberry). True mahoganies are members of an American genus and an African genus. Members of the family usually have pinnately compound (branching) leaves and three to five sepals and petals. The five to ten stamens are fused along their filaments (stalks) to form a tube.

Mahogany wood is heavy, strong, and easily worked and resists rot and termites. It is used in cabinetry and veneers and formerly, before all the large trees were cut, in construction. Other genera in the family besides the true mahoganies also yield useful wood, oils, insecticides, and edible fruits. The chinaberry tree, native to the Himalayas, is widely planted in the southern United States as an ornamental.

Scientific classification: Mahoganies belong to the family Meliaceae. True mahoganies are classified in the American genus Swietenia and the African genus Khaya. The chinaberry tree is classified as Melia azedarach.

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