Project Meliaceae
Ecology: Wood
This web site is a continually evolving and ongoing project.
Its purpose is to improve communication among all groups and individuals
that are involved with these species. We need your help! If you have
a link, information to share, or are interested in authoring a section
of the site, please send email to: mftf@mahoganyforthefuture.org
Marchan, E. J. 1946. The lignin, ash, and protein content of some neotropical
woods. Caribbean Forester 7(2):135-138
Wood content. A sample of Cedrela odorata wood from Brazil was found
35 percent lignin and 1.5 percent protein. A sample of the same species
from Puerto Rico was 43 percent lignin and 0.7 percent protein. Samples
of S. macrophylla were 37 percent lignin and 1.6 percent protein. S.
mahagoni heartwood had a lignin content of 46 percent and protein ranging
from 1.7 to 2.4 percent. A sapwood sample of S. mahogani was 36 percent lignin.
Edmonson, C. E. 1949. Reaction of woods from South America and Caribbean
areas to marine borers in Hawaiian waters. Caribbean Forester 10:37-42.
Teredo resistance. The wood of neither Cedrela odorata nor the two
mahoganys is resistant to marine borers.
Saks, E. V. 1954. Tropical hardwoods for veneer production in Mexico. Caribbean
Forester 15(1/2): 112-119.
Veneers in Mexico. A cruise of 200,000 acres showed 0,9 S. macrophylla per
acre of all sizes (0.24 of 35 cm +dbh) and 1.3 of Cedrela (0.3 of 35 cm +)
within Quintana Roo and the land bordering Guatemala. Mexican mahogany
includes broken stripe, roe, and mottled figures. A rare figure has raindrop
marks with curls ¼ inch in length resembling hair waves. Also rare
are birdseye and fiddleback grains. Hardness and strength are as variable
as color, which includes yellowish-white, tea color, salmon pink, and golden
brown. Mahogany changes to reddish brown after exposure. Logs not properly
coated are subject to pinhole borers. For veneer logs are soaked for
60 hours, beginning cold and ending at 170ºF. Cedrela mexicana is preferred
to mahogany for furniture. It peels cold and dries practically without
shrinking. It does not possess the requirements of high quality face
veneer.
Pereles, J. 1960. The acidity of selected Puerto Rican woods. Caribbean Forester
21(1/2): 41-44.
pH value. Heartwood of S. macrophylla = 4.6; S, mahagoni = 5.0; S. macrophylla
sapwood = 4.7.
Briscoe, C. B. , J. B. Harris. and D. Wycoff. 1963. Variation in specific
gravity of plantation grown trees of bigleaf mahogany. Caribbean Forester
24(2):67-74.
Specific gravity. S. macrophylla wood specific gravity can be estimated
from a core 1 foot above ground. The lightest wood is that surrounding the
pith. Specific gravity increased outward. It also increased with growth rate.