Knowra Lithocarpus Lithocarpus Lithocarpus is a genus of evergreen trees and shrubs in the beech family, Fagaceae, native mainly to tropical and subtropical Asia. Its species produce acorns enclosed partly or wholly by a distinctive cupule.
Fagaceae : Fagaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes oaks, beeches, and chestnuts. Lithocarpus belongs to this family alongside the familiar oaks and chestnuts.
Lithocarpus edulis : Lithocarpus edulis is an East Asian stone oak whose seeds are used as food after processing. This species illustrates the genus’s edible seeds and their use in regional food traditions.
Southeast Asia : Southeast Asia is a region of Asia comprising mainland countries and island groups between the Indian and Pacific oceans. The region contains much of Lithocarpus’s species diversity.
Plant taxonomy : Plant taxonomy is the science of naming, describing, and classifying plants. Lithocarpus classification has changed as botanists reassessed relationships among stone oaks.
Cupule : A cupule is a cup-shaped structure that partly or wholly encloses the fruit of plants such as oaks and beeches. The cupule surrounding each Lithocarpus fruit is a key feature for recognizing the genus.
Lithocarpus densiflorus : Lithocarpus densiflorus is a name historically used for the tanoak, now classified as Notholithocarpus densiflorus. Its former placement in Lithocarpus reflects the genus’s historical taxonomic boundaries.
East Asia : East Asia is a region encompassing China, Japan, Korea, and neighboring areas. Lithocarpus species also occur in East Asian forests, beyond the genus’s tropical strongholds.
Phylogenetics : Phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relationships among organisms using inherited characteristics and molecular data. Phylogenetic evidence helps resolve the limits and relationships of Lithocarpus species.
Acorn : An acorn is the nut-like fruit of an oak or related member of Fagaceae, typically enclosed by a cupule. Lithocarpus produces acorn-like fruits, despite being known as stone oaks rather than true oaks.
Acorn flour : Acorn flour is a meal made by drying and grinding processed acorns or other oak-family seeds. Some Lithocarpus seeds are made edible by processing that removes bitter tannins.
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