In the course of regional biodiversity survey in upper reaches of Lancang River, XTBG scientific personnel collected the specimens of Nothapodytes nimmoniana (J.Graham)Mabb. from Xishuangbanna and Lincang, which was found to be a new record from mainland China. The specimens are now stored in the Herbarium of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, with the collection numbers as Wang Hong 6890 and Zhou Shishun 2028.

According to record, Nothapodytes nimmoniana (J.Graham)Mabb. is naturally distributed in Taiwan, Cambodia, India, Japan, Myanmar, Philippines, Srilanka and Thailand.

   Nothapodytes nimmoniana(J.Graham)Mabb. is an endangered medicinal tree. The wood-extract of this tree is used in the treatment of cancer. The active principle of the wood-ccamptothecin (CPT) is known as a potent drug that breaks single-strand DNA in the mammalian systems and is found to be useful in the treatment of tumours.

  Because of destructive harvesting and habitat loss, the population of this species is declining. Thus, it has been assigned the threat status of Vulnerable.