Common Name: Pacific Coast Mahogany

General Information

Swietenia humilis is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree growing 15 - 20 metres tall. The unbuttressed bole is short, often crooked and from 30 - 50cm in diameter[].
The timber is used in local carpentry, but is of little commercial importance[]. The tree is sometimes planted in hedges along roadsides and near homesteads[].
The tree is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010)[].

Known Hazards

The bark and seeds possess a stringent alkaloid, reputed to be very poisonous[].

Botanical References

Range

Central America - Costa Rica to Mexico.

Habitat

Dry deciduous forest, savannah, rough scrub, rocky hillsides and cultivated fields[]. Usually seen as scattered and isolated individuals, preserved in cultivated land and pastures[]. Moist or rather dry forests, usually below 400 m in Guatemala[]

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	15.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of moderately dry tropical area, where it is found at elevations from near sea level to 1,200 metres[]. It grows in areas with a distinct dry season[].

This species hybridizes with S. macrophylla and S. mahagoni. Hybridization has been confirmed by cytological studies[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The seeds are anthelmintic. They are used in the treatment of chest pains, coughs, cancer and amoebiasis[].

The tetranortriterpenoids humilinolide A from the seeds have been shown to induce smooth muscle (ileal and uterine) contraction[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree can be planted along valleys to prevent soil erosion and is a suitable candidate for dryland forestation programmes[].
The tree is a good shade provider[].
Leaf litter from the tree enhances soil fertility[].
The tree can be planted in farm systems or plantations as an agroforestry tree[].
Allelopathic effects are noted for the compounds humilinolide A and C (found in the seeds). They have been shown to significantly inhibit radicle elongation in Amaranthus hypochondriacus and Echinochloa crus-galli[].

Other Uses

A colourless gum exudes from the branches and trunk of the tree[].

Oil from the seeds was used by the ancient Mexicans as a cosmetic and is said to have been employed in Mexico in soap manufacture[].

The bark and seeds possess a stringent alkaloid. Extracts of the plant significantly inhibited the growth and feeding of the larvae of Tenebrio molitor[].

The heavy timber is used in local carpentry[].

Propagation

Seed - when dried, it can be stored at ambient temperatures for several months[]. Fresh seed requires no pre-treatment, but stored seed can germinate more readily if it is first soaked for 12 hours in warm water[]. The seed is traditionally sown in situ[]. Under nursery conditions, the seeds are sown in a shady position in a bed of light sand in 3 - 7cm deep furrows or holes or directly in containers. Seeds will germinate in 10 - 21 days[]. Shades over nursery beds are removed and the seedlings hardened before planting out[].
The seeds have a long storage life, probably in excess of 200 years in controlled conditions[].

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