Difference between revisions of "Juniperus"

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virginiana, 16,18.
 
virginiana, 16,18.
  
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J. conferta, Parl.=J. litoralis.—J. davurica, Pall. Allied to J. Sabina. Procumbent, with slender, spreading or drooping branchlets: fr. l-4-seeded, small. Siberia.—J. flaccida, Schlecht. Graceful tree, to 30 ft., with spreading branches and slender, remote, pendulous branchlets: lvs. acute, with spreading tips: fr. globular, 5-10- seeded. Texas, Met S.S. 10:519.—J.fatidlisima, Willd. Allied to J. excelsa. To 12 ft. high: branchlets thicker: lvs. with spreading apex, mucronate, usually eglandular: fr. larger, l-2-seeded. Greece, W. Asia.—J. formosana, Hayata (J. taxifolia Parl., not Hook. & Am. J. oblongo-pendula, Hort.). Allied to J. rigida. Tree, to 40 ft.: lvs. rigid, spiny-pointed, with 2 white bands above, ½ -l in. long: fr. ovoid, orange, . across. Formosa, Cent. & W. China. Has proved hardy at the Arnold Arboretum; the true J. taxifolia, Hook. & Arn. is not in cult.—J. litoralis. Max. (J. conferta, Parl.). Allied to J. rigida, but prostrate, with long, trailing branches: fr. larger. Japan.—J. macropoda, Boiss. Allied to J. excelsa. Shrub or small tree, to 30 ft., sometimes procumbent: lvs. closely appressed: fr. nodding, globular, 4-seeded. Persia to Himalayas.—J. mogalocdrpa, Sudworth. Allied to J. californica. Tree 30-50 ft. with a single trunk: lvs. in 3'a, acute: fr. 1/2in across or slightly more, 1-2-seeded. Ariz.—J. mexicana, Schiede. Pyramidal tree: branchlets numerous, short and rather stout: lvs. acute, loosely appressed: fr. 2—4-seeded. Mex.—J. mexicana, Schlecht.=J. tetragona.—J. monosperma, Sarg. (J. occidentalis var. monosperma, Engelm.). Closely allied to J. occidentalis. Branchlets more slender: lvs. usually opposite and eglandular: fr. smaller and usually 1-seeded. Rocky Mts.. from Colo, to New Mex. S.S. 10:522.—J. obldngo- p&ndulti, Hort.=J. formosana.—J. pachjIphlaea, Torr. Tree, to 60 ft. allied to J. occidentalis. with broad, pyramidal or round-topped head: lvs. usually opposite, glandular, bluish green: fr. dark reddish brown, bloomy, with 3-4 seeds. Has a checkered bark like a black-jack oak. Colo, to Texas and New Mex. S.S. 10:520.—J. Pinchotii, Sudworth. Allied to J.californica. Small tree to 20 ft., usually with several sts.: branchlets rather slender: lvs. usually in 3's, appressed, sharply pointed, yellowish green fr. globose or ovoid, 1/3in. long, red, 1-2-seeded. Texas. B.T. 110-J Paeudo-sabina. sch. & Mey. Allied to J. Sabina. Erect shrub, with thick, dense and short branchlets: lvs. usually dimorphic: fr. ovate, blackish, glossy, 1-seeded. Siberia.—J. sabinmdes, Endl.=J. thurifera.—J. sabinoides, Nees=J. tetragona.J. sabinoides, Griseb.=J. Sabina var. tamariscifolia.—J. saltuaria, Rehd. & Wilaon. Allied to J. Pseudo-sabins. Tree to 40 ft.: lvs. dark green, dimorphic, those of the lateral branches scale-like, obtusiah, of the shoots in 3's, acute: fr. erect, ovoid, 1/4in. long, 1-seeded. N.W.China.—j sanderi, Hort.=Chamaecyparis obtuse var. ericoides.—J. tazifolia, Parl.=J. formosana.—J. tttrdgona, Schlecht. Allied to J. occidentalis. Small tree, to 20 ft., rarely to 40 ft., with round-topped or pyramidal head and slender, quadrangular branchleta: Ivs. ootuae, usually eglandular: fr. subglobose. mostly 1-seeded. Texas to Mex. S.S. 10:523.—J. thurlfera. linn. Shrub or tree, to 40 ft, with round-topped head and spreading branches: branchlets slender: fr. globular, 2-3-seeded. Spain, Algeria.—J. utahensis,lemm. (J. californica var. utahensis, Engelm.). Bushy tree, rarely more than 20 ft., with broad, open head: branchlets slender: lvs. obtuse, light yellowish green: fr. usually 1-seeded. Colo, to Calif., west to Utah. S.S. Alfred Rehder.
  
 
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Revision as of 11:58, 29 March 2010


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Plant Characteristics
Cultivation
Scientific Names

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Read about Juniperus in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

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Template:Alternateuses

Juniperus
Juniperus communis shrubs in The Netherlands
Juniperus communis shrubs
in The Netherlands
Plant Info
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Cupressaceae
Genus: Juniperus
L.

Species
See text

Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the mountains of Central America in the New World.

Cones and leaves of Juniperus communis

Junipers vary in size and shape from tall trees, 20-40 m tall, to columnar or low spreading shrubs with long trailing branches. They are evergreen with either needle-like and/or scale-like leaves. They can be either monoecious or dioecious. The female seed cones are very distinctive, with fleshy, fruit-like coalescing scales which fuse together to form a "berry"-like structure, 4-27 mm long, with 1-12 unwinged, hard-shelled seeds. In some species these "berries" are red-brown or orange but in most they are blue; they are often aromatic (for their use as a spice, see juniper berry). The seed maturation time varies between species from 6-18 months after pollination. The male cones are similar to those of other Cupressaceae, with 6-20 scales; most shed their pollen in early spring, but some species pollinate in the autumn.

Detail of Juniperus chinensis shoots, with juvenile (needle-like) leaves (left), and adult scale leaves and immature male cones (right)

Many junipers (e.g. J. chinensis, J. virginiana) have two types of leaves: seedlings and some twigs of older trees have needle-like leaves 5-25 mm long; and the leaves on mature plants are (mostly) tiny (2-4 mm long), overlapping and scale-like. When juvenile foliage occurs on mature plants, it is most often found on shaded shoots, with adult foliage in full sunlight. Leaves on fast-growing 'whip' shoots are often intermediate between juvenile and adult.

In some species (e.g. J. communis, J. squamata), all the foliage is of the juvenile needle-like type, with no scale leaves. In some of these (e.g. J. communis), the needles are jointed at the base, in others (e.g. J. squamata), the needles merge smoothly with the stem, not jointed.

The needle-leaves of junipers are hard and sharp, making the juvenile foliage very prickly to handle. This can be a valuable identification feature in seedlings, as the otherwise very similar juvenile foliage of cypresses (Cupressus, Chamaecyparis) and other related genera is soft and not prickly.

Juniper is the exclusive food plant of the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Bucculatrix inusitata and Juniper Carpet and is also eaten by the larvae of other Lepidoptera species such as Chionodes electella, Chionodes viduella, Juniper Pug and Pine Beauty.

Classification

The number of juniper species is disputed, with two recent studies giving very different totals, Farjon (2001) accepting 52 species, and Adams (2004) accepting 67 species. The junipers are divided into several sections, though (particularly among the scale-leaved species) which species belong to which sections is still far from clear, with research still on-going. The section Juniperus is an obvious monophyletic group though.

Juniper needles, magnified. Left, Juniperus communis (Juniperus sect. Juniperus; note needles 'jointed' at base). Right, Juniperus chinensis (Juniperus sect. Sabina; note needles merging smoothly with the stem, not jointed at base).
Juniperus phoenicea on El Hierro, Canary Islands
An Eastern Juniper in October laden with ripe cones.

Cultivation and uses

Juniper berries are a spice used in a wide variety of culinary dishes and best known for the primary flavoring in gin (and responsible for gin's name, which is a shortening of the Dutch word for Juniper: genever). Juniper berries are also used as the primary flavor in the liquor Jenever and sahti-style of beers. Juniper berry sauce is often a popular flavoring choice for quail, pheasant, veal, rabbit and other meat dishes.

Many of the earliest prehistoric people lived in or near juniper forests which furnished them food, fuel, and wood for shelter or utensils. Many species, such as J. chinensis (Chinese Juniper) from eastern Asia, are extensively used in landscaping and horticulture, and as one of the most popular species of bonsai. It is also a symbol of longevity.

Some junipers are susceptible to Gymnosporangium rust disease, and can be a serious problem for those people growing apple trees, the alternate host of the disease.

Some juniper trees are misleadingly given the common name "cedar"-- including the "red cedar" that is used widely in cedar drawers. True cedars are those tree species in the genus Cedrus, family Pinaceae.

References

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  • Adams, R. P. (2004). Junipers of the World: The genus Juniperus. Victoria: Trafford. ISBN 1-4120-4250-X
  • Farjon, A. (2001). World Checklist and Bibliography of Conifers. Kew. ISBN 1-84246-025-0
  • Farjon, A. (2005). Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopitys. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 1-84246-068-4
  • Junipers of the world
  • Gymnosperm Database - Juniperus
  • Arboretum de Villardebelle Photos of cones and foliage of selected species
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