ble kingdom of gold below
is questionable, but it is nevertheless a fact that the
sarsaparilla and the ironbark tree are common on most of
Victoria's goldfields."

<hw>Sassafras</hw>, <i>n</i>. corruption of <hw>Saxafas</hw>,
which is from <hw>Saxifrage</hw>. By origin, the word means
"stone-breaking," from its medicinal qualities. The true
<i>Sassafras</i> (<i>S. officinale</i>) is the only species of
the genus. It is a North-American tree, about forty feet high,
but the name has been given to various trees in many parts of
the world, from the similarity, either of their appearance or
of the real or supposed medicinal properties of their bark.

In Australia, the name is given to--

<i>Atherosperma moschatum</i>, Labill.,
<i>N.0. Monimiaceae</i>; called <i>Native Sassafras</i>,
from the odour of its bark, due to an essential oil
closely resembling true Sassafras in odour. (Maiden.)

<i>Beilschmiedia obtusifolia</i>, Benth.,
<i>N.0. Lauraceae</i>; called <i>Queensland Sassafras</i>,
a large and handsome tree.

<i>Cryptocarya glaucescens</i>, R. Br., <i>N.0. Lauraceae</i>;
the <i>Sassafras</i> of the early days of New South Wales, and
now called <i>Black Sassafras</i>.

<i>Daphnandra micrantha</i>, Benth., <i>N.0. Monimiaceae</i>,
called also <i>Satinwood</i>, and <i>Light Yellow-wood</i>.

<i>Doryphora sassafras</i>, Endl., <i>N.0. Monimiaceae</i>.

Grey Sassafras is the <i>Moreton-Bay Laurel</i>.
See <i>Laurel</i>.

The New Zealand Sassafras is <i>Laurelia novae-zelandiae</i>.

1834. Ross, `Van Diemen's Land Annual,' p. 134:

"The leaves of these have been used as substitutes for tea in
the colony, as have also the leaves and bark of <i>Cryptocarya
glaucescens</i>, the Australian sassafras."

1852. Mrs. Meredith, `My Home in Tasmania,' vol. ii. p. 166:

"The beautiful Tasmanian sassafras-tree is also a dweller in
some parts of our fern-tree valleys. . . . The flowers are
white and fragrant, the leaves large and bright green, and the
bark has a most aromatic scent, besides being, in a decoction,
an excellent tonic medicine. . . . The sawyers and other
bushmen familiar with the tree call it indiscriminately
`saucifax,' `sarserfrax,' and `satisfaction.'"

1875. T. Laslett, `Timber and Timber Trees,' p. 206:

"A Tasmanian timber. Height, 40 ft.; dia., 14 in. Found on
low, marshy ground. Used for sashes and doorframes."

1894. `Melbourne Museum Catalogue--Economic Woods,' No. 36:

"<i>Ath