Lonely juniper
| Lonely juniper | ||||||||||||
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Solitary Juniper ( Juniperus monosperma ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Juniperus monosperma | ||||||||||||
| ( Engelm. ) Coffin. |
The single-seeded juniper ( Juniperus monosperma ) is a plant from the family of the cypress family (Cupressaceae). It is native to the southern United States and northern Mexico.
description
The lonely juniper grows as an evergreen shrub or tree that can reach heights of 7 to 12 meters and a diameter of over 1.3 meters at chest height . The straight or ascending branches from the trunk form a round to flattened-spherical crown . Most of the time the trunk branches out shortly above the ground. The straight branches are 0.5 to 1 centimeter thick and have a four- to hexagonal cross-section. The gray to brown bark flakes off in thin strips. The bark of the twigs is smooth, that of the thicker branches flakes off in flakes or strips.
The species forms two forms from green to dark green leaves , which have finely toothed leaf margins and elongated glands on the underside. Less than a fifth of these glands form a white, crystalline substance. The needle-shaped leaves are 4 to 6 millimeters long and the top of the leaves is blue-green in color. The scale-like leaves are 1 to 3 millimeters long and keeled. Its tip is pointed. They do not overlap or only up to a quarter of their length.
The single-seeded juniper is dioecious and separate sexes ( diocesan ) and the cones ripen in the same year. The fleshy and resinous berry cones have a straight stem and are spherical to ovoid with a diameter of 6 to 8 millimeters. At maturity they are reddish blue to brownish blue in color and have blue-green frosting. Each of the cones bears one to three seeds. The seeds are 4 to 5 millimeters long.
Distribution and location
The natural range of the lone juniper includes northern Mexico and the southern part of the United States. In Mexico you can find it in northern Sonora and in Chihuahua . In the USA, the distribution area includes the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
The lonely juniper thrives at altitudes of 1000 to 2300 meters. It grows mainly on slopes on dry, rocky soils.
use
The lonely juniper is used as an ornamental plant.
Systematics
The first description as Juniperus occidentalis var. Monosperma was in 1878 by George Engelmann in "Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis", Volume 3, page 590. In 1896 the variety was by Charles Sprague Sargent in The Silva of North America Band 10, page 89 raised to species status as Juniperus monosperma . Other synonyms for Juniperus monosperma (Engelm.) Sarg. are Juniperus californica var. monosperma (Engelm.) Lemmon , Juniperus mexicana var. monosperma (Engelm.) Cory and Sabina monosperma (Engelm.) Rydb.
Hazard and protection
The lonely juniper is classified as "not endangered" in the IUCN Red List . It is pointed out, however, that a new review of the hazard is necessary.
swell
- Christopher J. Earle: Juniperus monosperma. In: The Gymnosperm Database. www.conifers.org, April 25, 2012, accessed September 1, 2012 .
- Frank D. Watson, James E. Eckenwalder: Cupressaceae . Juniperus . In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (Ed.): Flora of North America North of Mexico . Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms. Volume 2. Oxford University Press, New York a. a. 1993, ISBN 0-19-508242-7 , Juniperus monosperma (English, Juniperus monosperma - online - this work is online with the same text).
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e Christopher J. Earle: Juniperus monosperma. In: The Gymnosperm Database. www.conifers.org, April 25, 2012, accessed September 1, 2012 .
- ↑ Juniperus monosperma. In: Germplasm Resources Information Network. www.ars-grin.gov, accessed on September 1, 2012 (English).
- ↑ Juniperus monosperma at Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, accessed September 1, 2012.
- ↑ Juniperus monosperma in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2012. Posted by: Conifer Specialist Group, 1998. Accessed on 1 September 2012 found.
