One-Seeded Juniper 



ii5 



8. ONE-SEEDED JUNIPER Juniperus monosperma (Engelmann) Sargent 

 Juniperus occidentalis monosperma Engelmann 



A tree or shrub of the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, from Colorado 

 to Texas and westward to Utah, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona, at altitudes 

 of 1800 to 2000 meters and reaching a maximum height of 15 meters, with a trunk 

 diameter up to about 9 dm. It is also called the Naked-seeded juniper. 



The trunk is usually short, often irregularly fluted. The branches are stout, 

 spreading or ascending. 

 The bark is irregularly di- 

 vided into confluent ridges 

 and splits into long, thin, 

 somewhat fibrous scales, 

 light gray externally and 

 red-brown intemallv. The 

 twigs are slender, and after 

 the leaves have fallen are 

 covered by a thin and 

 loosely scaly, reddish brown 

 bark. The leaves are gray- 

 ish green, usually in pairs, 

 seldom in 3's, often some- 

 what spreading at the apex, 

 mostly ovate, 3 mm. long, 

 sharp-pointed, thickened, 

 rounded, and faintly if at 

 all glandular on the back; 

 on young, vigorous twigs 

 they are longer and nar- 

 rower, sharply stiff-pointed and somewhat glandular, up to 12 mm. long. The 

 tree flowers in March or April. The staminate flowers are oblong, consisting of 

 8 to 12 stamens, with broad rounded connectives; the pistillate have a few spread- 

 ing scales. The fruit is somewhat roughened by the tips of the scales, 5 to 7 mm. 

 long, usually dark blue, glaucous, its flesh sweet and resinous. The seeds are 

 usually solitar)% rarely 2 or 3, broadly ovoid, angular, sHghtly grooved and ridged, 

 light brown and shining at the blunt apex; cotyledons 2. 



The wood is rather hard, close-grained, and Hght reddish brown; its specific 

 gravity is about 0.71. It is very durable, is extensively used for fences and is the 

 principal fuel of an extensive region. 



The fruit, Hke that of other western Junipers, is used as food by the Indians, 

 who grind the dried fruit into meal and bake it. They also make use of the 

 fibrous inner bark for clothing, sleeping mats, and sails. 



This plant has been cultivated and is hardy in New England. 



Fig. 89. One-seeded Juniper. 



