Big-leaved oak, Big-leaved conic chestnut
Castanopsis fissa

Family: Fagaceae

What it is like

A medium sized tree. It grows up to 20 m in height. The trunk is 30-50 cm across. The young shoots and leaves are covered with brownish yellow hairs and rusty coloured scales. The young branches are red-purple. They are often angular. The leaves are arranged in spirals. They are yellowish brown. The leaf stalk is 1-2.5 cm long and the leaf blade is oval to oblong. Leaves vary in size. They are often 15-25 cm long by 5-9 cm wide. They are thickly papery. The base is wedge shaped and towards the tip the edge is irregular and wavy. The cup is 1-1.5 cm across. It has 2-4 valves which are curled and covered with dark brown scale like structures. The nut is round to oval. It is 1.3-1.8 cm long by 1.1-1.6 cm wide. The tip is brown-red and hairy.

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

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in tropical evergreen forests. It occurs on slopes between 1000 m altitude. It needs shade when young. In China it grows below 1600 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Indochina, Laos, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The seeds can be eaten. Starch is extracted from the nuts.

Edible parts

Seeds, nuts

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Li shuo zhui, Soi phang

Synonyms

Castanea regia Hance; Castanopsis fissoides Chun & C.C. Huang ex Luong; Castanopsis tunkinensis (Drake) Barnett; Lithocarpus fissa (Champion ex Benth.) A.Camus; Lithocarpus fissa var. bipoupensis A. Camus; Lithocarpus fissa var. tunkinensis (Drake) A. Camus; Pasania fissa (Champion ex Benth.) Oversted; Pasania fissa subsp. tunkinensis (Drake) A, Camus; Quercus fissa Champion ex Bentham; Quercus tunkinensis Drake; Shiia fissa (Champion ex Benth.) Kudo; Synaedrys fissa (Champion ex Benth.) Koidzumi; Synaedrys tunkinensis (Drake) Koidz.;