Black Sassafras
Atherosperma moschatum
Family Atherospermataceae
Gondwanan rainforest relict
About
An ancient rainforest tree of the Gondwanan flora, black sassafras produces nutmeg-scented leaves and cream, purple-streaked flowers between July and October. Wikipedia confirms it occurs at Barrington Tops and in the upper Blue Mountains, two of its few NSW outposts.
How to spot it
A shrub-to-conical tree 2-30m tall with densely hairy young branchlets and lower leaf surfaces. Lance-shaped to elliptic leaves 30-95mm long release a strong nutmeg scent when crushed - the fastest way to confirm an ID in the field.
Documented on these trails
Found in
- Barrington Tops National Park
- Blue Mountains National Park — Greater Sydney & the Blue Mountains hikes