Camptotheca

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Happy tree
Cancer Tree, Camptotheca acuminata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Cornales Family: Cornaceae (Nyssaceae) Genus: Camptotheca Decne.
Species
Camptotheca acuminata Camptotheca lowreyana

The Happy Tree, Cancer Tree, or Tree of Life (Camptotheca) is a genus of medium-sized deciduous trees growing to 20 m tall, native to central China. They are usually included in the tupelo family Nyssaceae, but sometimes included (with the tupelos) in the dogwood family Cornaceae. Camptotheca is used to make Irinotecan, Topotecan, 9-Aminocamptothecin, and camptothecin-1 (CPT-1).

There are two species:

• Camptotheca acuminata Decne.
• Camptotheca lowreyana S.Y.Li

The name 'happy tree' is a direct translation of the Chinese name xi shu (Simplified Chinese:喜树). An extract from the tree (camptothecin) is used as an anti-cancer treatment.

[edit] References

• Flora of China - draft text

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