148 JUNIPERUS, OR 



No. 22. Juniperus religiosa, Royle, the Pencil, or Incense 



Juniper. 



Syn. Juniperus excelsa, Madden, and all other writers on 

 Indian Conifers under this name. 



Leaves closely imbricated in opposite pairs, somewhat obtuse, 

 with a central gland or raised line on the back, four-rowed, and 

 imbricated, or spreading, acute, and disposed in threes; glaucous 

 and subulate on the young plants, but both forms are frequent. 

 Branches and branchlets very similar, but more compact than 

 those of Cupressus torulosa. Berries of a purplish colour, the 

 size of a small pea, rounded or two-lobed, smooth, and with 

 only one or two small seeds in each, dry, resinous, and with 

 a strong aroma when bruised, and very disagreeable taste. 

 Male and female flowers on separate plants. 



This species is rarely found below 10,000 feet of elevation, 

 and gradually dwarfing into an Alpine creeping shrub at 12,000 

 or 13,000 feet; but ascending in this form to 13,500 feet on the 

 south flank of Kunchinjinga, and to 15,200 feet on the rearward 

 ranges. It forms a large, densely-branched, stiff tree, growing 

 from 60 to 80 feet high, in eastern Nepal. Major Madden saw 

 a tree at the Songnum Temple, thirteen feet in circumference at 

 five feet from the ground, and about 100 feet high. Captain 

 Strachey found it at " Hunu," 12,000 feet above the sea; but 

 it is found in many parts, particularly at Kunawur ; on Gos- 

 sainthan, in Nepal ; in Kamaon, near Nantee ; and appears 

 to flourish best at elevations of from 9000 to 13,000 feet, but 

 never below 7000 feet in a native state. 



Dr. Griffith found it in Bhotan, about temples and in woods, 

 from 9000 to 11,000 feet of elevation. In " Kooloo," at an 

 elevation of 11,000 feet, it is preferred for its timber, and its 

 sprigs are burnt for incense. It is commonly planted by Budd- 

 hist temples, where it is used in all sacred ceremonies, hence 

 its specific name, " religiosa ;" the name commonly applied to 

 this tree (excelsa) by writers on Indian Conifers having been 



