Phoebe zhennan is a large species of tree up to 30 metres (98 ft) tall in the Lauraceae family. Zhennan was originally a Chinese word that related to its Chinese name 楠 (Nan). It is endemic to China where it occurs in Guizhou, Hubei, and Sichuan provinces. It is threatened by habitat loss. The species is under second-class national protection in China. They were so valuable that only royal families could afford to use them. Especially when they are semi fossilized and become 乌木 (Wu Mu, "Black Wood"), the price on 2012 market could be as high as over $10,000 per cubic meter.