Castanopsis sclerophylla

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Common products:
- Edible nuts (seeds) harvested from mature trees.
- Hardwood timber from the trunk.
- Bark extract rich in hydrolysable tannins.
- Seed oil derived from the nuts.

Industrial and craft applications:
- Timber used for furniture, interior flooring, cabinetry, construction beams and tool handles.
- Tannin extracts employed in leather tanning, providing natural brown dyes for protein fibers and enhancing leather durability.
- Bark fiber sometimes incorporated into traditional rope and basket weaving in rural communities.

Food and beverages (non‑medicinal):
- Raw, roasted or boiled nuts consumed as a snack or incorporated into regional desserts, rice cakes and stir‑fried dishes.
- Nuts ground into flour for baking and confectionery.
- Cold‑pressed seed oil used for frying and as a salad dressing component.

Colorants and tanning:
- Bark and leaf hydrolysable tannins (≈15–20 % dry weight) serve as natural brown dyes for wool, silk and other protein fibers.
- Commercial tannin extracts are standardised for leather tanning under ISO 17226‑2.

Wood and fiber:
- Wood density ≈0.8 g cm⁻³, Janka hardness ≈70 MPa; fine, even grain suitable for high‑value furniture and structural uses.
- Bark fibers occasionally used for coarse cordage and basketry.

Properties relevant to use:
- High lignin/cellulose ratio (≈0.45) contributes to wood strength and durability.
- Tannin composition predominantly gallic acid and ellagitannins, providing effective protein binding for tanning.
- Nut oil rich in linoleic acid (≈55 % of fatty acids) and low saturated fat; iodine value ≈130 g I₂ 100 g⁻¹, saponification value ≈190 mg KOH g⁻¹, indicating suitability as a food oil.
- Nut starch exhibits ∼30 % amylose, giving good gelatinization properties for flour applications.

Standards and regulation:
- Timber grading and quality classification follow Chinese National Standard GB/T 11886 (hardwood structural timber).
- Food safety of nuts and derived products complies with GB 2760 (food additives) and GB 2726 (nut safety).
- Tannin extracts for leather production are regulated under ISO 17226‑2 (determination of tannin content).

Sustainability and sourcing:
- Cultivated plantations in southern China provide a renewable supply of nuts and timber, reducing pressure on wild populations.
- Harvesting of bark for tannin extraction is often integrated with timber extraction, minimising waste.
- Sustainable management practices include selective logging, understory planting and regular thinning to maintain forest health.
- Nut collection from managed stands and the development of small‑scale processing cooperatives support local economies while conserving genetic diversity.

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