Phoebe zhennan

Description

Phoebe zhennan is a large species of tree, up to 30 metres (98 ft) tall, in the Phoebe genus of the Lauraceae family. Zhennan was originally a Chinese word that related to the tree's Chinese name 楠, Nan. It is endemic to China where it occurs in Guizhou, Hubei, and Sichuan provinces. The species is threatened by habitat loss, and so is under second-class national protection in China. In the past, wood from this tree was so valuable that only royal families could afford their use. Notably, whole logs of Phoebe zhennan wood were used to create pillars for the Forbidden City, but they have since been replaced. The wood is particularly valuable when has become semi-fossilized, and is then referred to as 烏木 Wu Mu, or "Black Wood". The price on the 2012 market could be as high as over $10,000 per cubic meter.