36 
Mr. R. T. Baker, in the paper quoted below, adds the following description 
of the fruit:— 
Oval in shape, measuring about \ inch long and under f inch broad, resting in the enlarged perianth 
tube, the segments deciduous. They are, however, very often deformed by gall insects or fungus. Some 
of the “ galls ’’ measure as much as 2 inches in diameter, and are coated for ^ inch or more with a micro¬ 
fungus, Melarnpsora nesodaphnes, B. & Br., which is highly fragrant, and has the appearance of a mealy 
powder of a canary-yellow colour. Under a one-eighth or one-tenth objective the hyphse and spores are 
well brought out, the latter being oval or oblong in shape, with a thick cell-wall, and “delicately 
granulated.” After a time the substance of the “gall” becomes quite woody, and when the fungus is 
removed the surface is shown to be very irregular.—(p. 276, op. cit.) 
Botanical Name. — Cinnamomum, the Latin name for the Cinnamon tree, 
or cinnamon itself; Oliveri, in honour of Professor Daniel Oliver, F.R.S., formerly 
Keeper of the Kew Herbarium, who devoted much attention to Australian plants. 
Vernacular Name. —“ Sassafras ” is a common name, but there are several 
of them, and this particular one is not confined to Queensland, so that the name 
“ Queensland Sassafras ” would not be specially appropriate. I therefore suggest 
the name “ Oliver’s Sassafras ” for it. 
Aboriginal Name. — I know of none. 
Bark. —Following is a note by the late Dr. Joseph Bancroft on Nesodaphne 
obtusifolia , Benth. (the bark was, however, the product of Cinnamomum Oticem), 
taken from “ A Contribution to Pharmacy from Queensland,” p. 11 (1886), published 
for the Colonial and Indian Exhibition. 
The bark has a strong aromatic odour, and pleasant astringent taste. It is frequently used by 
bushmen to improve the flavour of their tea, a little bit of bark being infused therewith. The active 
principles are a volatile oil with an odour like the North American sassafras, and a peculiar tannin. The 
bark has been used by me as a convenient aromatic astringent in diarrhoea and dysentery, having the 
properties of cinnamon and catechu in combination. It is most conveniently used in the form of a tincture, 
made with 2 oz. of the bruised bark in a pint of rectified spirit. 
One ton of the dry bark yields 770 oz. of essential oil (Staiger), = 2‘15 per 
cent. The specific gravity is '978 at 72° F. These figures are criticised by Lauterer. 
Reference may also be given to Dr. J. Lauterer’s paper on “ The Sassafras 
Trees of Queensland and the Chemistry of Cinnamomum oliveri ” (Proc. Roy. Soc. 
Qld., xi, 20), where he not only clears up the confusion which had gathered around 
the name of the bark examined by Dr. Joseph Bancroft, but he also adds some 
original chemical observations of his own in regard to the bark and its constituent 
oil and camphor. 
Now see a paper by R. T. Baker, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. W. (2), xii, 275, “ On the 
Cinnamomums of New South Wales, with a special research on the oil of C. Oliveri, 
Bail.” This paper contains a figure of the species, and also a description of the 
bark, the oil distilled from it, and a full chemical examination of the oil. This is 
reproduced here. 
It is dark red in colour, brittle, about ^ inch thick, and aromatic—particularly so when fractured. 
It was ground in a bark mill, and without any salt water maceration, placed in trays that permitted a 
