Common Name:

General Information

Castanopsis megacarpa is an evergreen tree that can grow from 12 - 36 metres tall. The bole can be 30 - 90cm in diameter with buttresses up to 200cm tall[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Southeast Asia - Peninsula Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia (Kalimantan)

Habitat

An upper canopy tree in primary and secondary mixed dipterocarp, kerangas to lower montane forests, often along rivers, but also common on hillsides and ridges; at elevations up to 1.400 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	22.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Castanopsis species are generally tolerant of a range of soils, preferably well-drained[]. They succeed in full sun, though young plants generally grow best in dappled woodland shade. This species is often found in the wild in Kerangas forest - a type of moist, heath forest found on acidic, sandy soils that are low in nutrients, especially nitrogen[].
Trees do not respond well to coppicing[].

Edible Uses

The ellipsoid or globose seed can be 30 - 75mm long and 30 - 45mm wide with a thick, woody shell; there is one seed per cupule[].
Although we have no specific information for this species, the seeds of all the species of Castanopsis are more or less edible and most if not all of them will have been used for food in times of shortage, when better foods were not available.
The seed is usually cooked before eating, though it can also be eaten raw. It can be eaten whole, though it is more commonly dried, then ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread.
The main disadvantage of the seed is that it is often rich in tannins, making it bitter and astringent. These tannins can be largely removed by soaking the seeds in water then throwing the water away. The process should be repeated until the seed no longer tastes bitter.

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The bark is a source of tannins and can be used as a dye, to weatherproof fibres etc[].
The bark is locally used as wall division in long houses[].

The branches and stems of many Castanopsis species are used as bed logs in mushroom cultivation[].

The sapwood is white or pale yellow[]. The timber is used locally for making bowls and other domestic utensils[].
The wood is a good fuel and can be used to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - easy to germinate if sown fresh. Self-sown seedlings can be transplanted[].

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