Editing Mahogany (section)

==Distribution==
The natural distribution of these species within the Americas is geographically distinct. ''S.&nbsp;mahagoni'' grows on the West Indian islands as far north as the Bahamas, the Florida Keys and parts of Florida; ''S.&nbsp;humilis'' grows in the dry regions of the Pacific coast of Central America from south-western Mexico to Costa Rica; ''S.&nbsp;macrophylla'' grows in Central America from Yucatan southwards and into South America, extending as far as Peru, Bolivia and extreme western Brazil.<ref>Lydia White & Peter Gasson, ''Mahogany'' (2008), pp. 2-3.</ref> In the 20th century various botanists attempted to further define ''S.&nbsp;macrophylla'' in South America as a new species, such as ''S.&nbsp;candollei'' Pittier and ''S.&nbsp;tessmannii'' Harms., but many authorities consider these spurious. According to Record and Hess, all of the mahogany of continental North and South America can be considered as one botanical species, ''Swietenia macrophylla'' King.<ref>Record & Hess, Timbers of the New World (1972), p. 368.</ref>

Both major species of ''Swietenia'' were introduced in several countries outside of the Americas during the 1800s and early 1900s using seeds from South America and the Caribbean. Many of these plantings became naturalized forests over time.

India had both ''S.&nbsp;macrophylla'' and ''S.&nbsp;mahagoni'' introduced in 1865 using seeds from West Indies. Both eventually became naturalized forests. Bangladesh had Honduran ''S.&nbsp;macrophylla'' introduced in 1872 and as with India it became naturalized in some areas. ''S.&nbsp;mahagoni'' and ''S.&nbsp;macrophylla'' were introduced in Indonesia in 1870 using seeds from India. ''S.&nbsp;macrophylla'' was included in plantation forests planted in Indonesia from the 1920s to the 1940s. Philippines had ''S.&nbsp;macrophylla'' introduced in 1907 and in 1913 as well as ''S.&nbsp;mahagoni'' in 1911, 1913, 1914, 1920 and 1922. Planting resumed in the late 1980s. It was planted with many other exotic tree species for the purpose of reforestation. ''S.&nbsp;macrophylla'' was planted in Sri Lanka in 1897 but it was left unmanaged until the 1950s when reforestation efforts initiated by the Sri Lankan government led to plantations being consciously developed. In the early 1900s ''S.&nbsp;mahagoni'' was planted on the islands of O'ahu and Maui in Hawaii but was neglected and became naturalized forests. Additionally, ''S.&nbsp;macrophylla'' was planted in 1922 on O'ahu and is now naturalized. Fiji had ''S.&nbsp;macrophylla'' introduced originally in 1911 as an ornamental species using seeds from Honduras and Belize. Fiji has become a major producer of mahogany in the 21st Century due to a robust plantation program spanning over 50 years. Harvesting began in 2003.