Common Name:

General Information

Castanopsis acuminatissima is an evergreen tree with a wide, spreading crown; it can grow 10 - 36 metres tall. The straight bole can be 30 - 90cm in diameter with buttresses up to 2 metres tall and 1.5 metres out from the bole[, , ].
The tree provides timber for local and commercial use, and in some areas it is a fairly important source of edible seeds for local use. It is planted close to settlements in New Guinea, where trees in the wild are also semi-cultivated[]. It is also used in reforestation programmes in Thailand[].

Known Hazards

Mouth ulcers and anaemia have been reported from people eating large numbers of raw nuts[].

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea.

Habitat

An upper canopy tree of primary or relict forest, mostly on hillsides and ridges and often on loamy sandy soil; at elevations from 300 - 2,500 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	25.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Semi-cultivated, 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.
A fast-growing tree[].
The tree has surface roots and often forms a ring of suckers around the base of the trunk[, ].

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked[, , , ]. They are more commonly cooked, it is mainly children who collect them and eat them raw[]. The seeds can be boiled or roasted - when cooked they taste somewhat like rice[]. The seed is up to 15mm x 10mm, contained in a spiny seedcase[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree has a heavy fall of leaves which form a deep mulch on the ground and inhibit the growth of other plants.
The tree is planted as a pioneer species in northern Thailand in reforestation projects to restore native woodland - it is planted in degraded woodland and open areas in a mix with various other species that all have the ability to grow fast; produce dense, weed-suppressing crowns; and attract seed-dispersing wildlife, particularly birds and bats[].

Other Uses

The bark is a source of tannins and can be used as a dye, to weatherproof fibres etc[].

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

The heartwood is white, the sapwood yellowish[, ]. It is used for making furniture, bridges, flooring, plywood, boat building[]. The trunks and bark are used in traditional house construction[].
The wood can be used for fuel and to make charcoal[, , ].

Propagation

Seed - easy to germinate if sown fresh. Self-sown seedlings can be transplanted[].
Suckers are formed near the base, but these often do not transplant well[].

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