Camptotheca Decne.

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Credits

Article from New Trees by John Grimshaw & Ross Bayton

Recommended citation
'Camptotheca' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/camptotheca/). Accessed 2024-03-28.

Family

  • Cornaceae (formerly Nyssaceae)

Common Names

  • Happytrees

Species in genus

Glossary

axillary
Situated in an axil.
cordate
Heart-shaped (i.e. with two equal lobes at the base).
endemic
(of a plant or an animal) Found in a native state only within a defined region or country.
globose
globularSpherical or globe-shaped.
ovate
Egg-shaped; broadest towards the stem.

References

There are no active references in this article.

Credits

Article from New Trees by John Grimshaw & Ross Bayton

Recommended citation
'Camptotheca' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/camptotheca/). Accessed 2024-03-28.

There are two species of Camptotheca, and the genus is endemic to China. They are medium-sized deciduous trees with papery, oblong-ovate leaves. The inflorescences are terminal or axillary heads with three bracts. The flowers are 5-merous and pale green, with the stamens mounted on a disc. The fruits are dry, contain a single seed and are winged. They are clustered in globose heads and have a persistent, apical disc. Until recently, only a single species of Camptotheca (C. acuminata) was recognised. However, in 1997 a second species (C. lowreyana S.Y. Li) was described, having ovate-cordate leaves with six to eight pairs of lateral veins (Qin & Chamlong 2005). This is grown at research institutions in Texas, but is not known to be cultivated as an ornamental. A dwarf selection named ‘Katie’ is said to be more cold- and drought-tolerant (Stephen F. Austin State University 2001). Camptotheca lowreyana has become an important element in research efforts into the anti-cancer drugs derived from camptothecins, currently obtained principally from C. acuminata.