Doryphora

Doryphora
Doryphora sassafras
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Magnoliids
Order:	Laurales
Family:	Atherospermataceae
Genus:	Doryphora

Doryphora is a genus of plant in the family Atherospermataceae, or formerly Monimiaceae. It contains four species, two endemic to Australia.

Overview

They are evergreen trees or shrubs from southern hemisphere of gondwanan origen, native to the temperate rainforests or laurel forest habitat. In nature, trees will reach approximately 100 feet (30 m) tall. They have dark to medium green lanceolate with serrated edges or lauroide leaves. Leaves have a strong sarsaparilla odor when crushed. The lumber is used in cabinetry and a tonic is made from the bark of some species, Doryphora aromatica, Doryphora sassafras... which also have insect repelling properties.

The flowers are white star-shaped. The blooms cover the tree at canopy level in the rainforest.

They are cloud forest plants and needs partial shade to full sun with a moist well-drained soil mix. The plants must kept moist at all times. Never the winter temps must fall below 50°F (10°C).

Doryphora are propagated by birds that eat the berry. The seed are very small and germinate in 80-100 days at 70°F (21°C). It presents as a peculiarity, which is a genus originated in the Antarctic flora, and shares plant species with South America, New Caledonia, Tasmania and Australia, in habitats of cloud forest and temperate rainforest. It was in the Cretaceous that angiosperm flora colonized New Zealand and New Caledonia, from South America, along the Antarctic margin of Gondwana, with species as Nothofagus and Proteaceae. They are yet umbrófila plants in forest or rainforest in place like New Caledonia.

This genus has plant with vicariant species that met the same ecological role, in other areas, where there was also accompanied by a laurel or pine communities in the most extreme climate areas. The role of Nothofagus and Podocarpaceae was occupied by the Taxus and various oaks in other places.

Species

• Doryphora aromatica (Bailey) L.S.Sm. (northeast Queensland)
• Doryphora sassafras Endl. (east Queensland and New South Wales)
• Doryphora austro-caledonica Seem.
• Doryphora vieillardi Baill. (New Caledonia)