Common Name:

General Information

Lithocarpus sandakanensis is an evergreen tree that can grow around 10 - 45 metres tall; the bole can be 15 - 90cm in diameter with small buttresses[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials.
Lithocarpus sandakanensis is confined to eastern Sabah, and occurs in the Kabili-Sepilok and Pangi Forest Reserves. The population is not declining, but the Pangi Forest Reserve is surrounded by palm oil plantations where forest fires are a possible threat that could drive the species towards a higher threat category. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2020)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Malaysia (Sabah)

Habitat

Primary lowland mixed dipterocarp forest, on yellow clay soils; at elevations up to 15 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	30.00 m
Pollinators	Insects, Wind
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Lithocarpus sandakanensis is a plant of the moist tropics, where it is usually found at elevations up to 15 metres[]. The varous species in this genus usually grow in regions where there can be year-round rainfall, generally disliking dry seasons.
In the wild, Lithocarpus species are mainly found in well-drained soils, often growing on slopes. In cultivation most species are tolerant of a range of soil textures and prefer an acid to neutral pH. Young plants usually grow sucessfully in the shade of woodland, but older trees like a more sunny position. This species is often found in the wild in yellow clay soils.

Edible Uses

We have no specific information for this species, but the seed (or acorn) is a rich source of carbohydrates and would almost certainly have been eaten by traditional peoples, especially in times of shortage. The main disadvantage is that the seed is also likely to contain bitter-tasting, astringent tannins. Traditionally, these tannins would have been largely removed either by leaching the seeds in water or by baking them. The seeds can be eaten raw but would usually be cooked whole or be dried and ground into a powder that can then be used to make a gruel, or as a thickener in soups and stews, or as an additive to flour for making bread, cakes etc[].
The depressed ovoid acorn is 35 - 40mm wide with a thick, woody shell[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The bark contains tannin[].

Round wood and branches of several species are used as bed logs in mushroom cultivation[].

The wood is used locally for medium to heavy construction but preservative treatment is a prerequisite for permanent structures. The wood is als suitable for manufacturing pulp and paper[].

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 a nursery 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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