Postelsia 201 
Section Oxycedrus. Endlicher, Syn. Conif. 8. 
1847. 
Leaves ternately whorled, linear-subulate, 
spreading, jointed to the stem. Flowers ax- 
illary, the staminate solitary, with numerous 
minute sterile scales below the opposite stamens. 
Scales of the pistillate flowers ternately whorled; 
ovules three, alternate with the scales of the 
distal whorl, their tips enlarged and exserted. 
Prout with-one tosthnree diree seeds. Eieht or 
ten species. Only the following with its varie- 
ties is found in North America. 
Juniperus communis Linneus, Sp. Pl. tro4o. 
A small tree, or-a more or less dwarf shrub, 
often forming dense mats about one meter high 
ane four meters or more in diameter; leaves 
5-20 millimeters long, 1-2 millimeters wide, 
ternately whorled, spreading almost at right 
angles to the stem, linear lanceolate, sharply 
acuminate, dark green on the lower side, white 
glaucous above; scales of pistillate flower ter- 
nately whorled, the distal whorl becoming fleshy 
