THE JUNIPER AND ALDER 233 



THE DWARF JUNIPER. 



The Dwarf Juniper (Juniperus communis, Linn., 

 var. nana, Willd., class Coniferse, natural order 

 Cupressaceae, the Cypress family), which is very 

 frequent in the Alpine and High Alpine zones, is 

 regarded as simply a variety of the Common Juniper. 

 In habit it is a large carpet plant, the branches, 

 densely clothed with leaves, being pressed close to 

 the ground, so that the height of the plant is quite 

 small. This form of habit is no doubt well calculated 

 to withstand the great weight of the winter snow, 

 which lies over the shrub for several months each 

 year. 



It is often abundant in or near Alpine thickets, 

 and also grows commonly on rocks. In some respects 

 it is an important coloniser of bare rocky places, like 

 the plants discussed in Chapter IV. It is probably 

 the highest woody plant occurring in Switzerland, 

 having been recorded on Monte Eosa at an altitude 

 of 11,700 feet. The fruit is a berry, and here again 

 we have another example of an Alpine shrub with 

 a succulent fruit. 



THE GREEN ALDER. 



The Green Alder (Alnus viridis, D. C., natural 

 order Betulaceae, the Birch family) is a common 

 shrub in the thickets, bordering the mountain 

 streams. It is interesting as being one of the few 

 representatives in the Alpine zone of the tree 



