190 JUNIPERUS SPH.ERICA. 



The Savin Juniper is abundant on all the mountains of central 

 Europe from the Alps to the Carpathians and of southern Europe 

 from the Sierra Nevada to the Caucasus ; its vertical range varies with 

 the latitude and exposition of the localities from 4,000 to 10,000 feet 

 above sea-level, frequently ascending to near the snow-line on 

 southern aspects. It prefers dry, rocky, sunny slopes especially on 

 the limestone formations of the Alps and Carpathians, where in 

 places it covers large areas unmixed with any other plant ; it 

 is also an ingredient of the undergrowth of the light coniferous 

 forests that form the higher zone of arborescent vegetation on these 

 mountains. The Siberian habitat assigned to Juniperus Sdbina by 

 Parlatore and other authors must be accepted with reserve, as it is 

 highly probable that the J. davurica of Pallas and the J. Pseudo-Sabinct 

 of Fischer and Meyer, if they are distinct, are the true Siberian 

 Savins. The North American Juniper referred to the common 

 Savin by Sir William Hooker and others is recognised in this work 

 as a species under the name of J. prostrata. 



The Savin Juniper was introduced into British gardens at a very 

 early date, as it is mentioned in Turner's " Names of Herbes," published 

 in 1548. It was formerly much more cultivated than at present, 

 especially during the revival of horticulture in the late Stuart f period 

 when the species of evergreen trees and shrubs available for garden 

 decoration were comparatively few. As an ornamental plant it is 

 surpassed by the varieties described above, and which have nearly 

 superseded it as a garden plant. The variety humilis occurs in the 

 Tyrol, Carniola and other districts on the Alps at and near the 

 higher vertical range of the species ; it is the Green Carpet Juniper 

 of gardens. The variety tamariseifolia is somewhat vaguely stated to 

 occur wild on the Sierra Nevada, in Sicily, Greece and other places ; 

 it appears to have been recognised at a very early period ; as seen in 

 British gardens it is usually prostrate and easily distinguished by its 

 dimorphic foliage. To this variety Carriere and Beissner have referred 

 the Juniperus Sabinoides of Grisebach,* but this plant is still an 

 enigma to botanists. 



Juniperus sphaerica. 



A tree of the habit and aspect of Juniperus cJiinensis, attaining a 

 height of 30 40 feet with a rather slender trunk covered with dark 

 brown bark that peels off in longitudinal shreds exposing a reddish 

 brown inner cortex. Branches short, spreading or ascending, much 

 ramified towards the extremities. Branchlets with tetrastichous ramifi- 

 cation, the youngest shoots slender, four-angled and pinnately divided. 

 Leaves homomorphic (?), scale-like, in decussate pairs, ovate, obtuse, 

 concrescent, dark green with, a small circular pit on the back. Staminate 

 flowers not seen. Fruits spherical, nearly 0*4 inch in diameter, 

 blackish violet-blue, composed of six concrescent scales each with short 

 apicnlns and enclosing three (?) seeds. 



* Specilegium Florae Rumelicse et Bythinicae, Vol. II. p. 352. 



