Castanopsis psilophylla
Soepadmo
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President and Fellows of Harvard College
gbif· cc0
President and Fellows of Harvard College
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President and Fellows of Harvard College
Summary
Source: WikipediaCastanopsis psilophylla is a tree in the family Fagaceae. The specific epithet psilophylla means 'smooth leaves'.
Description
A tree. It grows 30 m tall. The trunk is 50 cm across. The bark is smooth or has fine cracks. The leaves are thin and leathery. They are smooth on both surfaces. They are oval and 8-15 cm long by 3-5 cm wide. The flowering stalks are separately male and female of mixed. The male flowering stalks are 6-8 cm long and the flowers are in clusters of 3. The female and mixed flowering stalks are 6-8 cm long and have flowers in clusters of 3-4. The fruit cup is pear shaped and 2-3 cm across. It has a golden coating. There are 3-5 nuts in each cup.
Edible Uses
Seed - raw or cooked. The asymmetrical, ovoid seed is 15 - 20mm wide with a thin shell; only one of the 3 - 5 seeds in the cupule develops fully.
Distribution
A tropical plant. It grows in primary forest up to 1,000 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pacific, Philippines, Sarawak, SE Asia,
Cultivation
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. The tree does not respond well to coppicing.
Propagation
Seed - easy to germinate if sown fresh. Self-sown seedlings can be transplanted.
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 or whitish. 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.
Notes
There are about 120 Castanopsis species. Many have edible nuts.
Also Known As
Berangan entadu, Kogopon, Mengarung, Tukalod
References (3)
- Chai, P. P. K. (Ed), et al, 2000, A checklist of Flora, Fauna, Food and Medicinal Plants. Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, Sarawak. Forestry Malaysia & ITTO. p 167
- Coronel, R.E., 1982, Fruit Collections in the Philippines. IBPGR Newsletter p 9
- Soepadmo, E. and Saw, L. G., 2000, Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak. Forestry Malaysia. Volume Three. p 28
