About Camptotheca acuminata Decne.
Camptotheca acuminata Decne. is a deciduous flowering tree species belonging to the genus Camptotheca. It is native to southern China and northern Vietnam, and is also cultivated in the southern United States. As a eudicot, it has light gray bark and can reach a height of 20 metres (66 ft). Its leaves are large, papery, somewhat oval in shape, and typically measure 12 to 28 cm (5 to 10 in) long and 6 to 12 cm (2 to 5 in) wide. Flowers bloom from May to July, and the tree produces gray-brown single-seeded fruit in September.
This tree is the natural source of camptothecin chemicals, which have been tested for potential use in treating cancer and HIV. Two modern chemotherapy drugs, topotecan and irinotecan, are derived from this tree, though these molecules are now produced in laboratory settings instead of being extracted from the tree's bark and leaves. For this reason, it is sometimes nicknamed the "cancer tree". In traditional Chinese medicine, this tree is called xi shu, which translates to "tree of joy" or "happy tree", and it was historically considered a relatively unimportant medicinal plant. It is also grown for shade and as an ornamental plant.
