大葉桃花心木(Swietenia macrophylla King)原產地在中南美洲,其木材在熱帶林木市場上,占了相當重要的地位,尤其在2002年因天然更新少,被列入「瀕臨絕種野生動植物國際貿易公約」(Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, CITES)附錄Ⅱ(Appendix Ⅱ)後,其樹種的永續經營已成為大家所重視的課題,而永續經營需針對生物、生態與社會、經濟各種面向來加以探討,才能真正做到永續。本文針對大葉桃花心木生物、生態來源、分布、立木形態、營養與繁殖器官的特徵、生育地狀況、造林用途、木材性質、副產品等生物與生態之性質與價值加以說明,以了解大葉桃花心木的生命週期,及其生長特性,提供未來大葉桃花心木永續經營探討研究之依據。
Big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King) got an important position in tropical timber market. The original growth place of this mahogany is located in Central America. For rare regeneration, big-leaf mahogany were set in the name list in CITES Appendix Ⅱ (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, CITES). The sustainable management of big-leaf mahogany is become the key issue in forestry. We need to study the biology, ecology and social economics of this species for sustainable forest management. The aim of this case study is to describe the biology, ecology and usage of this mahogany which including name resource, distribution, tree status, characteristic, planting purpose and woody quality in Taiwan. These information could be used to the conservation and sustainable management of big-leaf mahogany.