NOTE: the physical organization of the pictures on this site does NOT yet reflect the information given directly below. This text is just the first part of a total reorganization of the mahogany pages on this site.
the mahoganies (the family Meliaceae, the mahogany family)
Swietenia macrophylla: This is the mahogany that grows throughout mainland Central and South America. The most common of the many common names for this species is Honduras/Honduran mahogany, but it is also called in many cases by its country of origin, such as Nicaraguan, Mexican, etc. Swietenia macrophylla tends to be slightly more orange than Swietenai mahagoni, but the color and density are affected by the specific conditions in the area of growth, so there are no absolutes.
Swietenia mahagoni: This is the mahogany that grows in Florida, Cuba, and the Caribbean area in general. The most common of the common names of this wood is Cuban mahogany. Swietenia mahagoni tends to be a darker reddish brown than Swietenia macrophylla, but the color and density are affected by the specific conditions in the area of growth, so there are no absolutes.
Khaya spp.: The Khaya species sold as African mahogany ARE part of the mahogany family, but are separate from the Swietenia species of the Americas. The Khaya species tend to be lighter in color, generally more of a salmon/pink in tint, that the Swietenia species, but the color and density are affected by the specific conditions in the area of growth, so there are no absolutes
Confusing mahogany terms, "genuine" and "true"
The term "genuine mahogany" is used in two conflicting ways: first, and by far the most common usage, is to distinguishe Swietenia from Khaya, which to me is a reasonable distinction even if not quite accurate in its implication that Kyaya is not a genuine mahogany, but second, it is sometimes used to specifically designate Swietenia macrophylla. Why this is, I do not know. The good news is that this second usage is rare.
The term "true mahogany" is also used in two conflicting ways, with the first, and by far the most common, usage being the resonable distinction that a "true" mahogany is one that belongs to the mahogany family (this includes both Swietenia and Khaya species), but the second is to distinguish Swietenia (as "true") from Khaya, which to my mind is not helpful terminology in its implication that Khaya is not a true mahogany, but I don't get to make the rules, I just do my best to figure them out and report them. As with "genuine", the second, less helpful, usage is rare.
There are a number of woods that have mahogany in their names but that generally have nothing to do with mahogany. A few of the more widely known such names are:
(1) "Philippine mahogany": This is a blanket name used for dozens of species (primarily Shoria species such as meranti), none of which are related to the mahogany family
(2) "santos mahogany": This is Myroxylong balsamum of the family Leguminosae (the legume family), totally unrelated to mahogany.
(3) "royal mahogany": This is is a flooring industry marketing term for a wood that has absolutely nothing to do with mahogany (this kind of dishonesty is typical of the flooring industry, which also calls curupay by the grandiose name "Patagonian rosewood" even though it is totally unrelated to rosewood)
