Creeping juniper
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Creeping Juniper ( Juniperus horizontalis ) |
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The creeping juniper ( Juniperus horizontalis ) is a plant from the family of the cypress family (Cupressaceae). It is native to northern North America.
description
The creeping juniper grows as an evergreen, low shrub. The twigs are just coming off the creeping branches. The smooth, brown bark of the thin twigs flakes off in thin strips and that of the thicker branches in broad strips or plates.
The species forms two types of leaves . All are green in summer and turn reddish purple in winter. They also have an entire leaf margin and an egg-shaped gland on the underside. The pointed leaves are 4 to 8 millimeters long. The scale-like leaves are 1.5 to 2 millimeters long and usually overlap by up to a third of their total length. They have a rounded, blunt to tapering tip.
The creeping juniper is dioecious and has separate sexes ( diocese ) and the berry cones usually only ripen in the second year. They are usually on a curved stem and are spherical to egg-shaped with a diameter of 5 to 7 millimeters. As they ripen, they are blue-black to brownish blue in color and have light frosting. Each of the soft and resinous cones bears one to three seeds. Each seed is 4 to 5 millimeters long.
The number of chromosomes is 2n = 22.
Distribution and location
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The natural range of the creeping juniper includes the whole of Canada, the archipelago of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon as well as the northern states of the USA. In the USA you can find it from Alaska in the north to Massachusetts in the south.
The species thrives from sea level to altitudes of 1000 meters. They can be found on slopes, sand dunes, in prairies , on outcrops and along river beds. It grows on sandy and gravelly soils.
use
The creeping juniper is grown as an ornamental shrub.
Systematics
It was first described as Juniperus horizontalis in 1794 by Conrad Moench in "Methodus Plantas Horti Botanici et Agri Marburgensis: a staminum situ describendi", page 699. A synonym for Juniperus horizontalis Moench is Sabina horizontalis (Moench) Rydb.
The species is closely related to the Rocky Mountain juniper ( Juniperus scopulorum ) and the Virginian juniper ( Juniperus virginiana ) and also forms hybrids with them. The hybrids with the Rocky Mountain juniper is as Juniperus × fassettii B.Boivin referred.
Hazard and protection
Juniperus horizontalis is classified as "not endangered" in the IUCN Red List . However, it is pointed out that a new check of the hazard is necessary.
swell
- Christopher J. Earle: Juniperus horizontalis. In: The Gymnosperm Database. www.conifers.org, October 1, 2012, accessed on August 19, 2012 (English).
- 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 horizontalis (English, Juniperus horizontalis - online - this work is online with the same text).
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g Christopher J. Earle: Juniperus horizontalis. In: The Gymnosperm Database. www.conifers.org, October 1, 2012, accessed on August 19, 2012 (English).
- ↑ Juniperus horizontalis. In: Germplasm Resources Information Network. www.ars-grin.gov, accessed on August 19, 2012 (English).
- ↑ Juniperus horizontalis at Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, accessed August 19, 2012.
- ↑ Juniperus horizontalis in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2012. Posted by: Conifer Specialist Group, 1998. Accessed August 19, 2012th
