FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 187 



closely overlap each other in 4 rows on the slender, stiff-looking twigs; some- 

 times arranged in 6 rows with three leaves at a joint. Leaves of vigorous 

 leading shoots are much larger and keenly pointed, while those of seedlings are 

 needle-like. The twigs appear round. Leaves of each season's growth persist 

 ten or twelve years or more. Bark of larger twigs which have shed their leaves 

 is pale reddish brown and scaly. Ripe berries (fig. 7">), matured in the fall of 

 the second year, are covered with a whitish bloom which, when rubbed off. 

 exposes a smooth red-brown, tough skin. They usually contain one seed (occa- 

 sionally 2), which is pointed at the top end, prominently and sharply angled 

 (fig. 73, a), and marked nearly to the top by what appears to be scale-like basal 

 covering (the seed scar), to which the thin, sweet pulp is attached. The surface 

 of the berries shows projecting points (ends of minute flower scales). Seed- 

 leaves, usually 5, but ranging from 4 to 6 ; pointed. 



Wood (commonly called "cedar" or ''juniper"), light yellowish brown, with 

 a very thick, white sapwood ; the durable heartwood has a less pungent "cedar" 

 odor than that of other junipers. The tree is too small and ill-shaped for com- 

 mercial use, though it finds important domestic use for fuel and posts wherever 

 it is sufficiently abundant. 



Longevity. — Few records of its age are available. Probably rather long-lived. 

 Trees from 6 to 10 inches in diameter are from 145 to 250 years old. 



RANGE. 



Southwestern Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and western Colorado to southeastern Cali- 

 fornia and northwestern Arizona ; common throughout desert parts of this region, and 

 generally at from 5,000 to 8,000 feet elevation. 



California. — Desert ranges east of Sierras. Abundant along summit of White and 

 Inyo mountains, except highest peaks, descending on east slope of White Mountains to 

 0,700 feet. Common in Panamint Range on northwest slope of Telescope Peak, extend- 

 ing from 6,300 to 8,000 feet and sometimes higher. On Grapevine Mountains, on Provi- 

 dence Mountains above 5,000 feet. Less abundant in range westward, as in that part 

 of Panamint Mountains near Jackass Spring, and on Coso and Inyo mountains ; absent 

 from Argus Mountains and not yet detected on east slope of Sierras. 



The detailed range of this juniper in the Rocky Mountain region will be dealt 

 with in a future bulletin. 



OCCURRENCE. 





 On desert foothills and mountain slopes, in dry. rocky, gravelly, and sandy soils. In 



extensive, rather open and scattered pure growths, or mixed with one-leaf pine and 



desert shrubs. 



Climatic Conditions.- — Characterized by great aridity, high temperature, and small 



precipitation. 



Tolerance and Reproduction. — Little known; probably similar to California juniper. 



California Juniper. 

 Juniperus californica Carriere. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS. 



California juniper is commonly known as "juniper" or "cedar." Its much 

 lower altitudinal range serves, however, to distinguish it roughly from the 

 western juniper. The exact lines where the two trees (similar in appearance) 

 approach each other have not been fully determined. Casual observation 

 might confuse one tree with the other, particularly young trees without fruit. 

 California juniper may be distinguished by several fairly prominent characters, 

 which should be carefully noted. Among these, and mosl conspicuous, is the 

 deeply infolded or fluted trunk, which is straight and less tapering than the 

 fuller, more rounded, and only slightly grooved trunk of the western juniper. 



