Common Names
Crvena kleka [Serbian], prickly juniper [English], zeder wacholder [German], cedre piquant [French], ginepro pungente [Italian] (2).Taxonomic notes
Syn: J. macrocarpa (1). One variety, transtagna.Description
Dioecious tree to 14 m, but usually a shrub of oval habit. Bark gray to brown-red. Needles in groups of three, sharp, up to 2 cm long; cross-section triangular; upper side with 2 distinct stomatal lines, lower side keeled. Fruit (cone) berry-like, red, spherical, about 10 mm in diameter; ripe in second year; usually with three seeds (2).Range
Mediterranean, east to Iran and Caucasus mountains, at 0-1400 m elevation. Although characteristic of Mediterranean climates, it is also found deep into the continent (Europe, western Asia) (2). Var. transtagna in SW Portugal (1).Big Tree
Oldest
Dendrochronology
Ethnobotany
Observations
Remarks
Arceuthobium oxycedri (Loranthaceae) is a (semiparasitic) mistletoe found only on this juniper species.Citations
(1) Silba 1986.(2) Branislav Jovanoviæ. 1986."Pinus mugo," in Flora Srbije. Belgrade: Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
Thanks to Milan Jovanovic for information and assistance contributed Feb-1999.
[Juniperus] [Cupressaceae] [home]
This page is from the Gymnosperm Database
URL: http://www.geocities.com/~earlecj/cu/ju/oxycedrus.htm
Edited by Christopher J. Earle
E-mail:earlecj@earthlink.com
Last modified on 22-Feb-1999