Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Angiosperms → Eudicots → Rosids
- Order: Fagales
- Family: Fagaceae
- Genus: Castanopsis
- Species: Castanopsis scortechinii (Hook.f.) A.Camus
Nomenclature
The specific epithet scortechinii honors the Italian–Australian botanist Benedetto Scortechini (1845–1886), who collected extensively in Southeast Asia. The name was originally published by J.D. Hooker (as Lithocarpus scortechinii) and later transferred to the genus Castanopsis by Aimée Camus.
Description
Castanopsis scortechinii is an evergreen tree typical of the genus Castanopsis. It possesses simple, leathery leaves and bears nuts (commonly referred to as chinkapin nuts) that are partially or wholly enclosed in a spiny cupule. Detailed morphological measurements (e.g., leaf length, tree height) are not provided here due to limited source data.
Distribution and Habitat
The species is documented from the tropical forest regions of Peninsular Malaysia. It occurs in lowland to sub‑montane evergreen forests, often on well‑drained soils. Records from adjacent regions (e.g., southern Thailand) are scarce and require further verification.
Ecology
As a member of the Fagaceae, C. scortechinii contributes to forest canopy structure and provides food (nuts) for various fauna. Specific ecological interactions for this species have not been extensively studied.
Conservation Status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has not evaluated Castanopsis scortechinii as a separate entity; consequently, its official conservation status is currently Data Deficient. Habitat loss due to logging and land‑use change in Malaysia may pose potential threats, but precise impact assessments are lacking.
References
- “Castanopsis scortechinii (Hook.f.) A.Camus.” Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Accessed 2026.
- Camus, A. (1935). Les Fagacées de l’Indo‑Malaise. Paris: Société botanique de France.
Note: Information presented reflects data available from recognized botanical databases and published taxonomic literature. Where specific details are absent, the entry acknowledges the limitation rather than providing unverified content.