Castanopsis oviformis
Soepadmo
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President and Fellows of Harvard College
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President and Fellows of Harvard College
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President and Fellows of Harvard College
Summary
Source: WikipediaCastanopsis oviformis is a tree in the family Fagaceae. The specific epithet oviformis means 'egg-shaped', referring to the cupule.
Description
A tree. It grows 30 m tall. The trunk is 50 cm across. It has small buttresses. The bark is cracked and scaly. The leave are leathery. They are oval and smooth on both surfaces. They are 7-14 cm long by 4-7 cm wide. The male and female flowers can be separate of mixed.
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.
Traditional Uses
The nuts are edible but somewhat bitter.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Known Hazards
The nuts are notably bitter in flavor.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in mixed hill forest up to 900 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, 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. 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.
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. 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.
Also Known As
Abok, Berangan pipit, Butoh terampayoh, Terempayoh
References (4)
- 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
- Hoare, A., 2003, Food use of the Lundayeh SW Sabah. Borneo Research Council.
- Slik, F., www.asianplant.net
- Soepadmo, E. and Saw, L. G., 2000, Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak. Forestry Malaysia. Volume Three. p 26
