Figure

Atherosperma moschatum subsp. integrifolium (images courtesy Peter Woodard). Native or Black Sassafras, Atherosperma moschatum (which has two subspecies) is the only representative of its genus. The first alkaloid from an Australian plant, atherospermine (now berbamine), was identified from this tree in 1861by the German chemist M. N. J. Zeyer. A tincture of the safrole-containing bark was once utilised for heart disorders. Black Sassafras essential oil (leaf) has the distinction of being methyleugenol rich. The subspecies moschatum contains camphor, which is usually absent (or very low levels) in subspecies integrifolium (see Table 9.2).