Castanopsis wallichii King ex Hook.F.

Tree, 12-15 m by 45-60 cm ø. Branchlets initially densely brownish tomentose, late glabrescent, slender, bark greyish, finely fissured, with minute lenticels; terminal bud obovoid-globose, 2-3 by 1½-2 mm, scales ovate-linear, acute, 2-3 by 1 mm. Stipules triangular, 3-4 by 1½ mm. Leaves thin-coriaceous or chartaceous, 3½-9 by 1-3½ cm (index 2.2-3.5), widest at the middle to sometimes below; base ± rounded and acute, top acute to ½-1½ cm acuminate; surfaces discolorous, above greenish, more or less glossy, glabrous, beneath brownish, dull, not scaly but densely covered with short stellate hairs, their branches sometimes partly adpressed; midrib and nerves ± prominent beneath, midrib sunken above; nerves 6-8 pairs at an angle of 45-60°, ascending, parallel, arcuating and anastomosing towards the margin; reticulation scalariform, fine, rather obscure beneath; petiole ½-1 cm, adaxially sulcate. Male rachis 5-10 cm, 1-2 mm ø; ♂ flowers in clusters of 3, perianth deeply incised, lobes 6, ovate-acute, ½-1 mm long, stamens 12, filaments 2½-3 mm, anthers ¼ mm long, pistillode c. 1 mm ø. Female rachis c. 4 cm, 1 mm ø, bracts and bracteoles ovate-acute, 0.7-1 mm; ♀ flowers solitary, perianth lobes 6, rounded, 0.4-0.5 mm long, densely hairy, staminodes 12, rudimentary, styles 3, conical, recurved, 0.7-1 mm. Cupule subsessile, sub globose to obovoid with flattish adaxial side, 3-4 by 2½-3½ cm; wall 1-3 mm thick, outside with dark brown pubescence, spines rather densely set except in the adaxial sector, solitary and unbranched, sturdy, ± straight, 5-6 mm, densely fulvous puberulous with glabrous tip. Fruit solitary, similarly shaped as the cupule, 1½-3 by 1-2 cm, wall 1-2 mm thick, almost completely adnate to the cupule, glabrous, rugose.

Humid lowland to montane forest; mostly at elevations between 1,000-1,500 metres

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

Can be grown by seedlings.