Doryphora aromatica, commonly known as sassafras, northern sassafras, northern grey sassafras, net sassafras or grey sassafras,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the Southern Sassafras Family Atherospermataceae and is endemic to north-east Queensland. It is a tree with elliptic or egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, white flowers with 5 stamens and 6 to 8 carpels, and achenes splitting to release feather-like fruits.
| Doryphora aromatica | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Laurales |
| Family: | Atherospermataceae |
| Genus: | Doryphora |
| Species: | D. aromatica |
| Binomial name | |
| Doryphora aromatica | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Daphnandra aromatica F.M.Bailey | |
Description
Doryphora aromatica is a tree that typically grows to 12–40 m (39–131 ft) high. Its leaves are elliptic to egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 50–135 mm (2.0–5.3 in) long and 20–43 mm (0.79–1.69 in) wide on a petiole 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) long,[2] and emit an aromatic odour when crushed.[3] The edges of the leaves are sometimes shallowly toothed, and both surfaces have a prominent midvein. The flowers are white with 4 tepals 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) long and 2.5–3.5 mm (0.098–0.138 in) wide, the androecium with 3 whorls of 5 stamens and 6 to 11 staminodes, and there are 6 to 8 carpels. Flowering occurs from February to June and the achenes are 3.0–4.5 mm (0.12–0.18 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) in diameter,[2] and split to release fruit with feather-like hairs.[3]
Taxonomy
This species was first formally described in 1886 by Frederick Manson Bailey who gave it the name Daphnandra aromatica in A Synopsis of the Queensland Flora from a specimen collected near the Johnstone River br Thomas Lane Bancroft.[4][5] In 1958, Lindsay Stuart Smith transferred the species to Doryphora as D. aromatica.[6]
Distribution and habitat
Doryphora aromatica is widespread in north-east Queensland where it grows in rainforest along creeks and gullies.[2][3]
Ecology
The leaves of this species are food for the larval stages of Macleay's swallowtail (Graphium macleayanus) and blue triangle butterfly (Graphium sarpedon).[3]
References
External Links
- "Doryphora aromatica (F.M.Bailey) L.S.Sm. — Grey Sassafras". Atlas of Living Australia.