Lauraceae

Cinnamomum camphora

Common Names: Camphor laurel

Plant Form: Spreading evergreen tree. Size: Up to 20 m tall. Stem: Stout, greyish-brown with rough texture. With strong odour. Leaves: Alternately arranged, glossy green with duller underside, 4-10 cm long, oval to egg-shaped with pointed tip and three distinct veins at base. Have small depressions (known as domatia) near the base of these veins. Flowers: Very small, white with six petals. Arranged on branching heads at the end of branches. Fruit and Seeds: Glossy round berries 8 mm across, attached to stems in small cone-shaped structures. Contain a single seed. Habitat: Urban bushland, old gardens, rainforests, woodlands, pastures, riparian areas. Distinguishing Features: Can be distinguished from several other lookalike native trees by strong camphor smell. Olivers sassafras (Cinnamomum oliveri) has a strong camphor smell but much narrower leaves.