Common Name:

General Information

Lithocarpus lauterbachii is an evergreen tree that can grow from 12 - 36 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be 35 - 80cm in diameter and free of branches for up to 15 metres[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials. It is a major exportable timber in New Guinea, where it is harvested on a commercial basis.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Australasia - New Guinea

Habitat

A canopy tree in primary, occasionally also in secondary forests; at elevations from 300 - 2,400 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	28.00 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.

Edible Uses

The depressed subglobose seed is 25 - 28mm long and 30 - 35mm wide with a thick, woody shell[].
Although we have no specific information for this species, the seeds of all the species of Lithocarpus 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 of most species is rich in tannins and can be used as a dye and preservative for ropes etc[].

Wood locally used for building construction and fencing[].
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.

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