Doryphora sassafras, commonly known as Sassafras, Yellow-, Canary- or Golden sassafras, or Golden Deal, is a species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of evergreen

Evergreen

In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...

 tree

Tree

A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...

 of the family Atherospermataceae

Atherospermataceae

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 native to the southern hemisphere, with two species native to southern Chile and 12 species native to...

 native to the subtropical and temperate rainforests of eastern New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

 and Queensland

Queensland

Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. It is a tall tree with green foliage and contrasting white flowers which occur in Autumn and Winter.

Taxonomy

Doryphora sassafras was first described by Austrian naturalist Stephan Endlicher in 1837. Its generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek

Ancient Greek

Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean 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

Sassafras albidum

Sassafras albidum is a species of Sassafras native to eastern North America, from southern Maine and southern Ontario west to Iowa, and south to central Florida and eastern Texas. It occurs throughout the eastern deciduous forest habitat type, at altitudes of sea level up to 1,500 m...

). It is a member of the small family Atherospermataceae

Atherospermataceae

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 native to the southern hemisphere, with two species native to southern Chile and 12 species native to...

 along with several other Australian rainforest trees including southern sassafras (Atherosperma moschatum).
Common names include Canary Sassafras, Yellow Sassafras, Golden Sassafras, Golden Deal or simply Sassafras.

Description

Doryphora sassafras can grow to a height of 50 metres (150 ft). It is a straight-trunked tree generally with a small crown, its grey-brown trunk reaching a diameter of 1.2 m (4 ft). Oppositely arranged on the stem, the
green leaves are elliptic to lanceolate or ovate, usually 7–10 cm (3-4 in) long, 2–4 cm wide, margins are shallowly to deeply toothed, glabrous and glossy, with a pleasant 'sassafras' scent when crushed. They have a prominent midrib and veins on the paler underside. The small white flowers occur in groups of three on short axillary stalks from May to July, and are followed by dark brown hairy fruit which are ripe from february to august. The flowering display can be showy with flowers massed on branches. contrasting against the darker foliage.

Distribution and habitat

The distribution is from Nambour

Nambour, Queensland

The area now known as Nambour, was first settled in 1870. The town was then called Petrie's Creek. In 1890 the Maroochy Divisional Board was established...

 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

Schizomeria ovata

Schizomeria ovata, a medium to large Australian rainforest tree, is widespread in warm-temperate rainforest in coastal New South Wales north from Narooma and southern Queensland south from Fraser Island...

).

Cultivation and uses

The yellowish soft timber is used in floors, turnery and cabinet work. 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

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...