CYPRESS AND JUNIPER TREES OF ROOKY MOUNTAIN REGION. 21 

 DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS. 



One-seed juniper commonly produces several small trunks from a 

 single rootstock, these stems varying in height from 6 to 20 feet 

 and in diameter from 3 to 6 or more inches. The general appearance 

 is often that of a low-crowned, overgrown bush. Single-stem trees 

 are rare, occurring chiefly in protected places. Their height varies 

 from 30 to 50 feet, or occasionally more, with a diameter of from 12 

 to 24 inches. In all cases the trunk is rather short, often deeply 

 fluted, and widely buttressed. The crowns are open and irregular, 

 owing to the presence of one or several very large branches near the 

 ground. This is a marked characteristic of the species. In the case 

 of trees growing in sheltered situations the large branches leave the 

 trunk above the ground, while in the desert type of tree such branches 

 are given off either at the very base of the stem or at a point below 

 the surface of the ground. Where one-seed juniper and Utah juniper 

 grow together, the latter species may be recognized by its com- 

 monly single trunk, which contrasts sharply with the apparently 

 several-stemmed trunk of one-seed juniper. 



The bark of the trunk and large branches is light ashy gray on the 

 outside, and a pale reddish or cinnamon brown beneath. On large 

 trees the bark varies in thickness from one-half to three-fourths of 

 an inch, but on smaller trees it rarely exceeds one-fourth of an inch. 

 It is distinctly soft, fibrous, and stringy, narrowly and deeply divided 

 on older trees by slitlike furrows, the narrow, flat ridges being con- 

 nected with thin, lateral ones. On smaller trees and large limbs 

 the bark is irregularly divided. 



The foliage is a pale grayish green and roughish to the touch, due 

 to the slightly spreading points of the scalelike leaves (Pis. XI, XII). 

 The twigs have a notably squarish form, due principally to the pro- 

 jecting points of the leaves, which as a rule are arranged in pairs, 

 though very occasionally in threes. The ordinary leaves of adult 

 twigs (PL XI) are about one-eighth of an inch long, sharp-pointed, 

 slightly spreading, and sometimes marked on their keeled backs 

 with a minute, resinlike gland, which may be lacking in other cases. 

 Leaves of thrifty leading shoots (PL XI, b) and of seedling trees are 

 from one-third to five-eighths of an inch long, with very keen, spread- 

 ing points, and a resinous gland on the back. 1 The margins of the 

 leaves are minutely toothed. 



Male and female flowers are borne on different trees. The thin- 

 fleshed, sweetish berries (PL XI), from about one-eighth to one-fourth 

 of an inch in length, are usually copper-colored, though sometimes 

 bluish, and covered with whitish bloom. They are mostly one-seeded, 



1 Resinous glands occur quite regularly on the backs of leaves borne by vigorous leading shoots, while 

 in the case of the smaller or adult foliage of older trees the glands may be present on some leaves and lacking 

 on others. 



