Risk Tool
Pacific Coast mahogany Swietenia humilis
Also know as: Honduras mahogany, Mexican mahogany, dry zone mahoganycaoba, caoba de Honduras, caoba de pacific, coabilla, cobano, gateado, venadillo, zapaton, zopilote
S. humilis, commonly known as Pacific Coast Mahogany, is a medium-sized tree native to dry deciduous forests and savannas of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. S. humilis is the smallest of the three Swietenia species. The tree can grow to 20m tall and 50 cm in diameter. The bark is dark-grey when young and brownish-black when mature and the wood ranges from pale pinkish brown to dark reddish brown. This species is not commercially significant; it is mostly used locally for carpentry. There are few natural stands remaining and larger stands are rare. Its IUCN Red List status is “vulnerable.”
Species Details
S. humilis is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a listing that applies to all parts and derivatives with some exceptions (see CITES appendices).