Only two species have been described in this somewhat taxonomically unresolved genus.

This tree species is native to southeast Tibet, west and southeast Yunnan, west Guangxi and south Guizhou in China and Viet Nam. No individuals could be found during surveys of the natural habitat in Guangxi and Guizhou provinces, and it is possible the species is already extinct in these provinces. It grows in lowland and sub-montane forests between 500–1,600 m altitude and these forests are under threat of deforestation and habitat destruction. Much of the species habitat has been destroyed or is severely fragmented due to local farming, and the species is at high risk of extinction in China (Yang et al. 2016). This species has a relatively large extent of occurrence (EOO of 449,529 km²) and a small area of occupancy (AOO of 36 km²). The AOO is based on collections only and this species is likely to be under collected. However, given our present knowledge about this species, the AOO is unlikely to exceed 2,000 km². Given that it is only known from nine locations (none from a protected area), that it has a small AOO, and the threats to its habitat, it is considered as Vulnerable.

This tree species has been recorded from southeast Tibet, west and southeast Yunnan, west Guangxi and south Guizhou in China and Viet Nam.

Based on surveys of the natural habitats in China, about 20 populations and fewer than 300 individuals of this species were found in the wild (Yang et al. 2020). No individuals could be found in Guizhou or Guangxi, indicating that the species may already be extinct in these provinces (Yang et al. 2016). 

This species is a deciduous canopy tree between 6–20 m tall and growing in (open) forests and in limestone mountainous forests between 500–1,600 m altitude.

The major threats to this species are deforestation and habitat destruction through conversion to agriculture and plantations. In order to grow economically important plants such as tea, locals chop down Craigia yunnanensis or change its habitat into farmlands. As a result much of the habitat has been destroyed or is severely fragmented (Yang et al. 2016).

There is no information on use or trade of this species.

It is not known to occur in any protected areas, but given it distribution this seems likely. This species is kept in at least four ex situ collections (BGCI 2021a). It is considered to be threatened in China (BGCI 2021b). This species is listed as a second-class protected key wild plant of China and is included in China’s national list of plant species with extremely small populations for urgent rescue (Yang et al. 2020). Local landowners have planted seedlings in a reintroduction project (Yang et al. 2020).