Laurus nobilis Elder listed a variety of conditions which Laurel oil was supposed to treat: paralysis, spasms, sciatica, bruises, headaches, catarrhs, ear infections, and rheumatism. Laurel oil is a main ingredient, and the distinguishing characteristic of Aleppo soap. In ancient Greece, the plant was called "daphne", after the mythic mountain nymph of the same name. In the myth of Apollo and Daphne, the god Apollo fell in love with Daphne, a priestess of Gaia (Mother Earth), and when he tried to seduce her she pled for help to Gaia, who transported her to Crete. In Daphne's place Gaia left a laurel tree,
Daphnandra johnsonii "Daphnandra micrantha", the Australian socketwood. Recently it has been recognised as a separate species. The type specimen collected in the Illawarra district by L.A.S. Johnson, after whom the species was named, by Richard Schodde. The generic name "Daphnandra" refers to a similarity of the anthers of the bay laurel. Greek "daphne" refers to the bay laurel, and "andros" from the Greek for man. The term "socketwood" is from the related species "Daphnandra apatela". A feature of which is where larger branchlets meet the main trunk. This joining resembles a "ball and socket" type joint. A small to medium-sized tree. Growing