Castanopsis argyrophylla
King ex Hook. f.
Gon chestnut
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
The New York Botanical Garden
What to Eat
The nuts and seeds are eaten.
How to Identify
A tropical tree in the Fagaceae family (chestnut family).
How to Grow
Fagaceae
Production
A tree. The branches and leaf blades are smooth. The shoots are blackish brown when dry. The leaf stalk is 1-2.5 cm long. The blade is oval or sword shaped. It is 10-20 cm long by 4-7 cm wide. It is thickly leathery. The base is heart shaped or rounded. It tapers to the tip and can have a sharp tip. There are 10-13 side veins. The fruiting stalk is 10-25 cm long. The cup is round and 2.5-3.5 cm across. It is softly hairy when young. It has spine like bracts. The nut often occurs singly but there may be 3. They are round but flattened. They are 1.5-1.8 cm across. They are densely hairy.
Names & Synonyms
Fa-hear, Gon, Ko doi, Kysin, Mai-kaw, Mangdeng, Say saa, Thit-e, Thittat, Yin ye zhui
References (10)
- Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 110
- Fl. Brit. India 5:622. 1888
- Huang Chengjiu, Zhang Yongtian, Bartholomew, B., Fagaceae, Flora of China.
- Jin, Chen et al, 1999, Ethnobotanical studies on Wild Edible Fruits in Southern Yunnan: Folk Names: Nutritional Value and Uses. Economic Botany 53(1) pp 2-14
- Lehmann, L., et al, Forests and Trees of the Central Highlands of Xieng Khouang, Lao P. D. R., A field guide.
- Menninger, E.A., 1977, Edible Nuts of the World. Horticultural Books. Florida p 15, 16 (Also as Castanopsis tribuloides var. ferox)
- Plants for a Future, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/ (As Castanopsis tribuloides var. ferox)
- Singh, V. B., et al, (Ed.) Horticulture for Sustainable Income and Environmental Protection. Vol. 1 p 215 (As Castanopsis tribuloides var. ferox)
- Wickens, G.E., 1995, Edible Nuts. FAO Non-wood forest products. FAO, Rome. p 122
- www.mekonginfo.org/assets/midocs/0001714-environment-forests-and-trees-of-the-central-highlands-of-xieng-khouang-lao
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