Berangan papan
Castanopsis lucida

Family: Fagaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 20 m tall. The trunk is 40 cm across. It has buttresses 1.6 m tall. The leaves are thick and leathery. They are smooth and shiny above. There are a few hairs underneath. The leaves are narrowly oval and 16-21 cm long by 8-10 cm wide. The male and female flowers are separate. The male flowering stalks are 10-15 cm long and have flowers in clusters of 3-5. The female flowering stalks are 8-10 cm long and the flowers are in clusters of 3. The fruit cup is a flattened round shape and 3-4 cm across. It is prickly. There are 2-4 nuts in each cup. They are oval and up to 2 cm across.

There are about 120 Castanopsis species. Many have edible nuts.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in mixed forest up to 500 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, SE Asia, Singapore, Thailand

How it is used for food

The nuts are eaten raw or roasted. They are also boiled. They can be used in pastries.

Edible parts

Nuts

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Berangan babi, Berangan papan, Kertak tangga, Sebilek

Synonyms

Alseodaphne lucida Nees; Castanopsis hullettii King ex Hook.f.; Laurus lucida Wall.;