Doryphora sassafras | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Magnoliids |
Order: | Laurales |
Family: | Atherospermataceae |
Genus: | Doryphora |
Species: | D. sassafras |
Binomial name | |
Doryphora sassafras | |
Doryphora sassafras, commonly known as sassafras, yellow sassafras, golden deal or golden sassafras, [2] is a species of flowering plant in the Southern Sassafras Family Atherospermataceae [[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.
Doryphora sassafras is a shrub or tree that typically grows to 2.5–36 m (8 ft 2 in – 118 ft 1 in). [2] [3] Its leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, [4] elliptic to lanceolate or ovate, 30–110 mm (1.2–4.3 in) long and 15–40 mm (0.59–1.57 in) wide on a petiole 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) long. [2] The edges of the leaves are shallowly to deeply toothed, glabrous and glossy, and both surfaces have a prominent midvein. [2] All parts of the tree have a spicy smell, [5] but should be treated with "some caution", since the plant contains the poisonous alkaloid doryphorine. [6] Each individual leaf on a sassafras has a lifespan up to 12 years. [7]
The flowers are white with 6 tepals in 2 whorls mostly 7–13 mm (0.28–0.51 in) long and 2.5–4 mm (0.098–0.157 in) 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 3.5–5 mm (0.14–0.20 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) in diameter. [2]
Doryphora sassafras was first described in 1837 by Austrian naturalist Stephan Endlicher in 1837 in his Iconographia generum plantarum . [8] [9] 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 ( Sassafras albidum ). [10] It is a member of the small Southern Sasafrass family (Atherospermataceae) along with several other Australian and Patagonian rainforest trees including southern sassafras ( Atherosperma moschatum ).
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 ( Ceratopetalum apetalum ) and native crabapple ( Schizomeria ovata ). [10]
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. [5]
The yellowish soft timber is used in floors, turnery, and cabinet work. [10]
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. [11] It has been planted in Dublin area in Ireland [12]
The Atherospermataceae, commonly known as the southern sassafrases, are a family of broadleaf evergreen trees and shrubs. The family includes 14 species in seven genera. The atherosperms are today mostly distributed in the Southern Hemisphere, with two species native to southern Chile and 12 species native to Australasia. Wood is commercially harvested from rainforest species of this family, and is used both in construction and in fine cabinet making.
Solanum aviculare, commonly called poroporo or pōporo, bumurra (Dharug), kangaroo apple, pam plum (Australia), or New Zealand nightshade, is a soft-wooded shrub native to New Zealand and the east coast of Australia.
Grevillea longifolia, commonly known as fern-leaf spider flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the Sydney Basin in New South Wales. It is an erect to spreading shrub with narrowly egg-shaped to almost linear leaves, and toothbrush-like groups of pinkish-fawn flowers with a pink to red style. It is fairly readily grown in gardens.
Banksia littoralis, commonly known as the swamp banksia, swamp oak, river banksia or seaside banksia and the western swamp banksia, is a species of tree that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The Noongar peoples know the plant as pungura, boongura or gwangia. It has rough, crumbly bark, linear, more or less serrated leaves arranged in whorls, yellow flowers and up to two hundred follicles in each head.
Elaeocarpus reticulatus, commonly known as blueberry ash, ash quandong, blue olive berry, fairy petticoats, fringe tree, koda, lily of the valley tree and scrub ash, is species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with oblong to elliptic leaves, racemes of white or pink flowers and blue, oval to spherical fruit.
Atherosperma moschatum, the southern sassafras or blackheart sassafras, is an evergreen tree native to the cool temperate rainforests of Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales in Australia. It is common in the rainforests of Tasmania and Victoria, but more scattered and rare in the higher altitudes of eastern New South Wales. The northernmost area is at Mount Grundy, west of Port Macquarie.
Doryphora is a genus of 2 species of flowering plants in the family Atherospermataceae that are endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus Doryphora are medium-sized to tall trees with glabrous, leathery, sometimes serrated leaves, and flowers usually arranged in groups of 3, each flower with both make and female parts, usually 4 or 6 tepals, 6 stamens and 6 to 12 carpels.
Wilkiea hugeliana, commonly known as veiny wilkiea, common wilkiea or tetra beech, is a species of flowering plant in the family Monimiaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a tall shrub or small tree with egg-shaped, oblong to narrowly elliptic leaves, and male and female flowers on separate plants. Male flowers have 3 or 4 stamens and female flowers have 20 to 40 carpels, and the fruit is a blackish oval drupe with a yellow to orange receptacle.
Daphnandra johnsonii, also known as the Illawarra socketwood, is a rare rainforest tree in the Illawarra district of eastern Australia.
The Eastern Australian temperate forests is a broad ecoregion of open forest on uplands starting from the east coast of New South Wales in the South Coast to southern Queensland, Australia. Although dry sclerophyll and wet sclerophyll eucalyptus forests predominate within this ecoregion, a number of distinguishable rainforest communities are present as well.
Acronychia laevis, commonly known as hard aspen, glossy acronychia or northern white lilly pilly, is a species of shrub or small tree in the citrus family, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It has simple, elliptical to egg-shaped leaves, groups of creamy white flowers and fleshy, mitre-shaped to spherical fruit.
Pomaderris ferruginea, commonly known as rusty pomaderris, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a shrub with rusty-hairy stems, egg-shaped leaves, and clusters of cream-coloured, whitish or yellow flowers.
Epacris pulchella, commonly known as wallum heath or coral heath is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a slender, erect shrub with egg-shaped, pointed leaves and white or pinkish, tube-shaped flowers.
Styphelia sieberi, commonly known as prickly beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is an erect, densely-branched shrub with oblong to more or less egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and white, tube-shaped flowers arranged singly in upper leaf axils.
Micrantheum ericoides is a species of flowering plant in the family Picrodendraceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a small, heath-like, monoecious shrub with linear to narrowly elliptic leaves, and small white or pinkish flowers arranged singly or in pairs.
Gastrodia sesamoides, commonly known as cinnamon bells or common potato orchid in Australia and as the pot-bellied orchid or cinnamon sticks in New Zealand, is a leafless, terrestrial saprophytic orchid in the family Orchidaceae. It has a thin, fleshy brown flowering stem and up to twenty five drooping, brownish, self-pollinating flowers that are white inside. Growing in a wide range of habitats, it is native to Australia and New Zealand.
Olearia myrsinoides, commonly known as silky daisy-bush or blush daisy bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a spreading shrub with hairy branchlets, egg-shaped to elliptic leaves with toothed edges, and white and yellow or mauve, daisy-like inflorescences.
Pultenaea villosa, commonly known as hairy bush-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub with softly-hairy foliage, narrow elliptic to linear, oblong to club-shaped leaves, and yellow-orange and reddish-brown, pea-like flowers.
Hovea longipes is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to north-eastern Australia. It is a shrub or tree with narrowly elliptic to lance-shaped leaves, and deep indigo-blue and white, pea-like flowers.
Eriostemon banksii is a species of flowering plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with egg-shaped to elliptic leaves and scattered white flowers with five petals and ten stamens.