Sassafras
Appearance
Sassafras | |
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Sassafras albidum, Wanaque, New Jersey | |
Scientific classification | |
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Genus: | Sassafras |
Species | |
Synonyms | |
Pseudosassafras Lecomte |
Sassafras is a genus that contains three[1][2] current and one extinct[3] species of deciduous trees in the family Lauraceae. It was originally in eastern North America and eastern Asia.[2]
Sassafras trees grow from 9.1–18 m (30–59 ft) tall and from 7.6–12 m (25–39 ft) wide.[4] The trunk grows 70–150 cm (28–59 in) across.
"Sassafras" was named by the botanist Nicolas Monardes in the 16th century. It is said to be a corruption of the Spanish word for saxifrage.
Species
[change | change source]- Sassafras albidum - Eastern North America, from southernmost Ontario, Canada, through the eastern United States south to central Florida, and west to southern Iowa and eastern Texas.
- Sassafras hesperia - Eocene Klondike Mountain Formation in Washington and British Columbia[3]
- Sassafras tzumu - Central and southwestern China.
- Sassafras randaiense - Taiwan.
References
[change | change source]- ↑ Flora of North America: Sassafras
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Nie, Z.-L., Wen, J. & Sun, H. (2007). "Phylogeny and biogeography of Sassafras (Lauraceae) disjunct between eastern Asia and eastern North America". Plant Systematics and Evolution. 267 (1–4): 191–203. doi:10.1007/s00606-007-0550-1. S2CID 44051126.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 Wolfe, Jack A. & Wehr, Wesley C. 1987. "Middle Eocene Dicotyledonous Plants from Republic, Northeastern Washington". United States Geological Survey Bulletin 1597:13
- ↑ Dirr, Manual of woody landscape plants. Page 938.
Other websites
[change | change source]Media related to Sassafras at Wikimedia Commons