Common Names
Common juniper, genévrier commun (2), Siberian juniper, dwarf juniper.
Taxonomic notes
Syn: Juniperus sibirica (1). Six varieties, communis , depressa , hemisphaerica (J. Presl & C. Presl) Parlatore, megistocarpa , montana , and oblonga ." Juniperus communis is the most widespread juniper species, and many subspecies and varieties have been described. A major study, including chemical characters, is needed to clarify the taxonomy" (2).
Description
"Shrubs or small trees dioecious, to 4 m (if trees, to 10 m), multistemmed, decumbent or rarely upright; crown generally depressed. Bark brown, fibrous, exfoliating in thin strips, that of small branchlets (5-10 mm diam.) smooth, that of larger branchlets exfoliating in strips and plates. Branches spreading or ascending; branchlets erect, terete. Leaves green but sometimes appearing silver when glaucous, spreading, abaxial glands very elongate; adaxial surface with glaucous stomatal band; apex acute to obtuse, mucronate. Seed cones maturing in 2 years, of 2 distinct sizes, with straight peduncles, globose to ovoid, 6-13 mm, bluish black, glaucous, resinous to obscurely woody, with 2-3 seeds. Seeds 4-5 mm. 2 n = 22" (2).Range
W & N Asia, N America, Europe, N Africa (1). See also (7).Big Tree
"The tallest common juniper in Sweden is 18,5 high and grows at Lake Glypen in the province of Östergötland. The largest ... is found at Rċċ in the province of Närke. It has a girth of 2,8 m. at breast-height" (5).Oldest
Ages to 600 years have been reported without supporting data (5).Dendrochronology
Ethnobotany
The seed cones are used to flavor gin (2). See (99) for further information.Observations
Remarks
The only juniper species that occurs in both North America and Eurasia.Citations
(1) Silba 1986 .(2) Adams, Robert P. in Flora of North America online .
(3) Elmore & Janish 1976 .
(4) van Gelderen et al. 1986 .
(5) Forest Sweden: The Swedish Forests. No date or author. URL = http://www-forest.slu.se/skogen/eng/omtrad.cfm , accessed 5-Jun-1999.
(6) Common Scottish Plants page at the Flora Celtica. No date or author. URL = http://www.rbge.org.uk/data/celtica/Plantuses.htm , accessed 22-Jan-2000.
(7) Robert S. Thompson, Katherine H. Anderson and Patrick J. Bartlein. 1999. Atlas of Relations Between Climatic Parameters and Distributions of Important Trees and Shrubs in North America. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1650 A&B. URL= http://greenwood.cr.usgs.gov/pub/ppapers/p1650-a/pages/conifers.html, accessed 22-Jan-2000.
See also:
Elias 1987
.
Little 1980
.
Vascular Plant Image Gallery
.
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This page is from the Gymnosperm Database
URL: http://www.geocities.com/~earlecj/cu/ju/communis.htm
Edited by Christopher J. Earle
E-mail:
earlecj@earthlink.com
Last modified on 22-Jan-2000