sassafras (redirected from Sassafrass)

sassafras: see laurel.

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sassafras

North American tree (Sassafras albidum) of the laurel family. The aromatic leaf, bark, and root are used as a flavouring, as a traditional home medicine, and as a tea. The aromatic roots yield about 2% oil of sassafras, once the characteristic ingredient of root beer. The tree is native to sandy soils from Maine to Ontario and Iowa and south to Florida and Texas. It is usually small but may attain a height of 65 ft (20 m) or more. It has furrowed bark, bright green twigs, small clusters of yellow flowers followed by dark blue berries, and three distinctive forms of leaves, often on the same twig: three-lobed, two-lobed (mitten-shaped), and entire.

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sassafras

1. an aromatic deciduous lauraceous tree, Sassafras albidum, of North America, having three-lobed leaves and dark blue fruits

2. the aromatic dried root bark of this tree, used as a flavouring, and yielding sassafras oil

3. Austral any of several unrelated trees having a similar fragrant bark

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sassafras [′sas·ə‚fras]

(botany)

Sassafras albidum.A medium-sized tree of the order Magnoliales recognized by the bright-green color and aromatic odor of the leaves and twigs.