Doryphora sassafras
Doryphora sassafras, commonly known as sassafras, yellow sassafras, golden deal or golden sassafras, is a species of flowering plant in the Southern Sassafras Family Atherospermataceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub to tree with elliptic or egg-shaped leaves and contrasting white flowers which occur in autumn and winter.
Description
Doryphora sassafras is a shrub or tree that typically grows to. Its leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, elliptic to lanceolate or ovate, long and wide on a petiole long. The edges of the leaves are shallowly to deeply toothed, glabrous and glossy, and both surfaces have a prominent midvein. All parts of the tree have a spicy smell, but should be treated with "some caution", since the plant contains the poisonous alkaloid doryphorine. Each individual leaf on a sassafras has a lifespan up to 12 years, and exceptionally to 19 years.
The flowers are white with 6 tepals in 2 whorls mostly long and wide, the androecium with usually 4 whorls with 6 stamens and 14 to 18 staminodes, and there are 8 to 12 carpels. Flowering occurs from May to October and the achenes are long and in diameter.
Taxonomy
Doryphora sassafras was first described in 1837 by Austrian naturalist Stephan Endlicher in 1837 in his Iconographia generum plantarum. Its generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek dory- "spear" and pherein "to carry", and refers to the anthers in the flower, while its specific epithet is taken from its similar odour to the North American Laurel. It is a member of the small Southern Sasafrass family along with several other Australian and Patagonian rainforest trees including southern sassafras.
Distribution and habitat
The distribution is from Nambour in southern Queensland through eastern New South Wales to Wolumla Peak in Yurammie State Forest. It is found in temperate rainforest on basalt soils at higher elevations and sedimentary soils at lower elevations, commonly associated with Coachwood and native crabapple.
Ecology
Male mosquitoes and crane flies are attracted to the flowers of sassafras, but although they are nectarivores, in their struggle to feed, they pollinate the flowers.
Uses
Timber
The soft yellowish timber is used in floors, turnery, and cabinet work.
Use in horticulture
It is used in reforestation but generally grows too big to be used in home gardens. It has been thought to have potential as a potted specimen. It has been planted in Dublin area in Ireland