Caribbean juniper
| Caribbean juniper | ||||||||||||
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Juniperus lucayana, Cuba |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Juniperus barbadensis | ||||||||||||
| L. |
The Caribbean juniper ( Juniperus barbadensis ) is a plant from the family of the cypress family (Cupressaceae). It is native to the Caribbean islands .
description
The Caribbean juniper grows as a single-stemmed evergreen tree that can reach heights of up to 15 meters and a diameter of up to 60 centimeters at chest height . The branches are usually not more than 1 millimeter thick. The thin and fibrous bark is pale brown at first and turns light gray over time. It peels off in long and thin strips.
The scale-like, light green needles are about a millimeter long and alternate on the branches. The blunt or tapering tip is pressed against the branches. There are several inconspicuous glands on the back of the needles.
The male cones are elongated with a length of 2.5 to 5 millimeters and consist of six to seven pairs of scales. The berry-shaped cones are 4 to 5 millimeters long and five to eight millimeters thick, flattened, spherical. As they ripen, they are reddish blue to dark blue in color and covered by a waxy layer. Each of the cones bears two to four light, yellowish-brown seeds. These are two to three millimeters long.
Distribution and location
The natural range of the Caribbean juniper is in the Caribbean. It includes the northern Bahamas , Isla de la Juventud , Jamaica , the Sierra de Nipe in Cuba and the Pitons on Saint Lucia .
The Caribbean juniper thrives from sea level to altitudes of 1600 meters. It is found mainly in dry and open forest areas where it inhabits limestone soils.
use
The wood is used as firewood.
Systematics
It was first described as Juniperus barbadensis in 1753 by Carl von Linné in Species Plantarum 2 , p. 1039. Synonyms for Juniperus barbadensis L. are Juniperus virginiana var. Barbadensis (L.) Gordon and Sabina barbadensis (L.) Small .
The species is divided into up to two varieties :
- Juniperus barbadensis var. Barbadensis is the nominate form. It occurs only in the summit regions of the Petions on Saint Lucia.
- Juniperus barbadensis var. Lucayana (Britton) RP Adams occurs in the rest of the range.
Hazard and protection
The barbadensis variety is listed on the IUCN Red List as "critically endangered". The lucayana variety is listed as "endangered". However, it is pointed out that a renewed examination of the hazard is necessary. Heavy logging and overgrazing combined with a low rate of regeneration have meant that the species has only survived in areas that are difficult to reach. It has already been exterminated in Barbados , the type locality , as well as in Haiti .
swell
- Christopher J. Earle: Juniperus barbadensis. In: The Gymnosperm Database. www.conifers.org, January 4, 2011, accessed February 9, 2012 .
- James E. Eckenwalder: Conifers of the world: the complete reference . Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon 2009, ISBN 978-0-88192-974-4 , pp. 281 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f James E. Eckenwalder: Conifers of the world: the complete reference . Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon 2009, ISBN 978-0-88192-974-4 , pp. 281 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
- ↑ Christopher J. Earle: Juniperus barbadensis. In: The Gymnosperm Database. www.conifers.org, January 4, 2011, accessed February 9, 2012 .
- ↑ a b Juniperus barbadensis in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2011. Posted by: Conifer Specialist Group, 2000. Accessed on 9 February 2012 found.
- ↑ Juniperus barbadensis at Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, accessed February 9, 2012.
- ↑ Juniperus barbadensis. In: Germplasm Resources Information Network. www.ars-grin.gov, accessed on February 9, 2012 (English).