primavera

tree

Also known as: Cybistax Donnel-Smithii, Cybistax donnelsmithii, white mahogany

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

primavera, (species Cybistax donnel-smithii), timber tree of Central America with brilliant yellow flowers, or its firm light wood, often called white mahogany. Although the tree is unrelated to true mahogany, the wood resembles it in being easy to work, lustrous, and free of tendency to warp. When first cut, it is a pale yellow; upon exposure to air and light it darkens to a yellowish rose with streaks of red, orange, and brown. Primavera is used, either in thin lumber or veneer form, for special effects in paneling and cabinetmaking.

This article was most recently revised and updated by William L. Hosch.

mahogany

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mahogany

wood

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Jul 4, 2025 • Article History

Related Topics:: wood; Meliaceae; Shorea; mahogany; Entandrophragma

On the Web:: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - Conservation and Use of Mahogany in Forest Ecosystems in Mexico (July 04, 2025)

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mahogany, any of several tropical hardwood timber trees, especially certain species in the family Meliaceae. One such is Swietenia mahagoni, from tropical America. It is a tall evergreen tree with hard wood that turns reddish brown at maturity. The leaflets of each large leaf are arranged like a feather, but there is no terminal leaflet. The small white flowers are borne in clusters, and the fruit is a five-parted woody capsule that contains squarish, winged seeds. Most commercial mahogany now comes from other genera in the family, such as the African Khaya and Entandophragma. Lauan, or Philippine, mahogany (Shorea species), of the family Dipterocarpaceae, is popular for furniture making and panelling.