Camptotheca acuminata

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Camptotheca acuminata
Camptotheca acuminata HK.jpg
Trunk of the tree
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Cornales
Family: Nyssaceae
Genus: Camptotheca
Species:
C. acuminata
Binomial name
Camptotheca acuminata
Decne.
Bull. Soc. Bot. France 20: 157 (1873)

Camptotheca acuminata is a species of tree in the Camptotheca genus that is native to north Vietnam and southern China. [1] It is also cultivated in the southern United States. [2]

Contents

A eudicot, [3] it is a flowering deciduous tree with light gray bark. [4] It can grow to a height of 20 metres (66 ft). Its large, papery leaves are somewhat oval in shape, usually 12 to 28 cm (5 to 10 in) long and 6 to 12 cm (2 to 5 in) wide. [4] The flowers, which bloom from May through July, produce a gray-brown fruit with one seed in September. [4]

Uses

Camptotheca acuminata is a source of camptothecin chemicals, which have been tested for potential use as treatments for cancer and HIV. [2] The modern chemotherapy drugs topotecan and irinotecan are derived from it, though now the molecules are produced in a lab environment rather than extracted from the leaves and bark of the tree. [5] Because of this, it is sometimes called the "cancer tree". [5]

In traditional Chinese medicine, the tree is called xi shu ("tree of joy" or "happy tree") and was considered a relatively unimportant [5] medicinal plant. [2] [5]

The tree is also grown for shade and ornamental value. [5]

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References

  1. "Camptotheca acuminata Decne. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  2. 1 2 3 Lewis, Walter H.; Elvin-Lewis, Memory P. F. (2003-09-04). Medical Botany: Plants Affecting Human Health. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 205–206. ISBN   978-0-471-62882-8.
  3. "Camptotheca acuminata". NCBI. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  4. 1 2 3 "Camptotheca acuminata". World Flora Online .
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Foster, Steven; Johnson, Rebecca L. (2008). National Geographic Desk Reference to Nature's Medicine. National Geographic Books. pp. 202–203. ISBN   978-1-4262-0293-3.

Further reading