Common Name:

General Information

Castanopsis oviformis is an evergreen tree growing 15 - 34 metres tall. The bole can be 20 - 59cm in diameter with small buttresses that are sometimes branched[, ].
The trees are harvested from the wild for local use as a fod and source of materials. This is one of many timber-bearing species in the genus Castanopsis that is harvested from the wild on a commercial basis and traded under the name Berangan[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak), Indonesia (Kalimantan).

Habitat

A mid-canopy tree in primary forest, sometimes kerangas forest, at low elevations, but also extending to 1,200 metres in montane forests; found on alluvial sites and along rivers as well as on hillsides and ridges, usually on sandy loamy soils[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	25.00 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[].
The tree does not respond well to coppicing[].

Edible Uses

Seed - raw or cooked[, ]. Somewhat bitter[]. The ovoid seed is 20 - 25mm long and 10 - 15mm wide with a thick, woody, seedcoat; a single seed is formed in each cupule[].

Medicinal

None known

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 sapwood is yellowish[]. The wood is used locally in house construction[].
The heartwood is dark brown or dark red-brown; it is clearly demarcated from the light brown sapwood which often has a green tinge. The texture is coarse and uneven; the grain fairly straight but sometimes interlocked, maybe lustrous when first cut; there is no distinctive odour or taste when dry. The wood is strong, moderately hard, moderately heavy to heavy, moderately durable and very difficult to treat. It seasons fairly slowly, without any defects except for some staining; shrinkage is very high. It is easy to work, easy to split, moderately easy to resaw and easy to cross-cut; planning is easy and the planed surface is smooth, it takes a good finish. A light hardwood, it is suitable for medium to heavy construction under cover, furniture making, packing cases and pallets. Some species split well and are used for shingles[, ].
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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