Common Name:

General Information

Lithocarpus elegans is an evergreen tree that can grow from 5 - 30 metres tall. The bole can be from 20 - 70cm in diameter[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - southern China, northeast India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia

Habitat

Found on a variety of soils, growing in hill mixed dipterocarp forest to lower montane forest; at elevations up to 1500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

In the tropics, the genus Lithocarpus is generally found in lowland to montane forests, usually below elevations of 2,000 metres occasionally to 3,000 metres. The genus usually grows in areas with year-round rainfall, disliking dry seasons.
Young plants usually grow sucessfully in the shade of woodland, but older trees like a more sunny position. Lithocarpus species are mainly found in well-drained soils, often growing on slopes; they tend to be tolerant of a range of soil textures and to prefer an acid to neutral pH.
The plant usually flowers all year round in the southern part of its range[].

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked[]. Rarely eaten[]. The ovoid or depressed ovoid to subglobose seed is 10 - 23mm long and 10 - 30mm wide with a thin shell[].
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 of most species is rich in tannins and can be used as a dye and preservative for ropes etc[].

The sapwood is yellowish or brownish. The wood is used locally for purposes such as fence post, mining props, shingles, boat building, and for making tool handles, rice pounder, poles for carts etc[].
The wood makes a good fuel and can be used to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - it quickly loses viability if it is allowed to dry out. It can be stored moist and cool, but is best sown as soon as it is ripe in an outdoor seed bed, though it must be protected from mice, squirrels etc. Small quantities of seed can be sown in deep pots in a cold frame. Plants produce a deep taproot and need to be planted out into their permanent positions as soon as possible, in fact seed sown in situ will produce the best trees[]. Trees should not be left in a nursery bed for more than 2 growing seasons without being moved or they will transplant very badly.

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: 10 times itself is?