THE CYPRESS SUB-FAMILY. 299 



Chinese Junipers, that, were it not for their hardiness in all 

 situations, we should part with them without reluctance. 



19, J, OCCidentaliS, Hoolcer. ROCKY MOUNTAIN JUNI- 

 PER. Syn. J. Califoruica, Curriere ; J. pyriformis, Lind- 

 ley ; J. andina, Nuttall ; J. excelsa, Pitrsh & Lewis. 

 Leaves either binate or ternate, ovate and obtuse, or nee- 

 dle-shaped and acute, closely appresscd, imbricated in 

 three or four rows, resinous, and of a beautiful silvery 

 glaucous green color. Branches, spreading, numerous, 

 with many quadrangular short branchlets, and dark color- 

 ed bark. Fruit, medium size, roundish, solitary, dark 

 purplish-brown color and glaucous. 



This fine rare species is described with an accompanying 

 colored plate in Nuttall's Sylva, under the name of J. 

 andina ; and the author appears in doubt whether it really 

 is distinct from J, Occidental-is or not. 



Their identity has since been proven, and we have 

 therefore arranged them as above. The tree usually grows 

 about 15 or 20 feet high, although Douglas, who first dis- 

 covered it, says it is a tree 60 or 80 feet in height ; and 

 Jeffrey, as well as Dr. Newberry, puts it at 40 feet. 



Nuttall says of it : " On passing a gorge of the Rocky 

 Mountains or Northern Andes, and approaching Lewis' 

 River of the Oregon, we first observed this curious and 

 elegant tree, accompanying groves of the American Cem- 

 bra Pine, spreading for miles along the declivity of the 

 mountains, and in an opposite direction ascending well 

 towards the summit of a mountain, which still presented 

 patches of snow in the month of July, under the latitude 

 of about 42." 



Its habitat, according to most writers, is on dry, sandy 

 or rocky soil, but it has been occasionally found inhabit- 

 ing the rich alluvial bottoms along rivers and large streams 

 of water. The great diversity of size in different speci- 

 mens has also caused dissension among the various discov- 

 erers in relation to its true character. Pursh, in describ- 



