Broad-leafed Mahogany (HT 2016-276)

📷: Brendon Phuah

The Broad-leafed Mahogany is a large tree that can grow up to 40 m with a dense crown. It bears compound leaves that are glossy and dark green with asymmetric leaflets that are crescent-shaped. Being semi-deciduous in nature, it can lose its leaves during pronounced dry spells, but young new leaves quickly open before the old leaves are completely shed. The broad and buttressed trunk has uneven, fissured dark grey bark.

Its flowers are lightly fragrant, pale yellow to greenish in colour and occur in large bunches. The fruit is a distinctive, brown, large and heavy woody pod held upright on its stalk, splitting into five segments to release numerous flat single-winged seeds when mature.

The Broad-leafed Mahogany is a native of Tropical America; it was introduced to Malesia region, which includes Singapore, in 1876 from Honduras. Its timber is valued highly for making furniture, paneling and musical instruments.

In the third edition of Professor E.J.H. Corner’s book, Wayside Trees of Malaya (1988 reprint), it was noted that this species was introduced to Malaya around 1876. In fact, this Heritage Tree near the Singapore Botanic Gardens could have been planted by Professor Corner himself in 1935, as he was the Assistant Director of the Gardens at the time.

For more information on this species, please refer to the NParks' Flora & Fauna Web profile. ↗ (opens in new tab)