112 



The Junipers 



fibrous; seeds i or rarely 2, ovoid, 3 mm. long, sharp-pointed, compressed toward 

 the apex, sharply angled; cotyledons 4 to 6. 



The wood is soft, close-grained, and light brown; its specific gravity is about 

 0.55. It furnishes the chief supply of fuel to many of the mines and ranchmen 

 of its region, where it is also used for posts; its fruit is used by Indians for 

 food. 



The recently described Juniperus Knightii Nelson, of the red desert lands of 

 southwestern Wyoming, must, in our judgment, be referred to this species. 



5. DROOPING JUNIPER — Jnaiperus flaccida Schlechtendal 



This Juniper occurs on the mountains of eastern Mexico at altitudes of from 

 1800 to 2400 meters and grows in the United States only on some of the moun- 

 tains of southwestern Texas. It attains a height of about 9 meters, but is often 

 only a shrub. 



The trunk is upright; its branches are long, slender, and spreading. The twigs 

 are slender and pendulous, light green at first, becoming light brown and covered 



with loose, papery bark. 

 The leaves are opposite, 

 appressed, or slightly 

 spreading, ovate to 

 ovate-lanceolate, glan- 

 dular-pitted, about 4 

 mm. long, sharply taper- 

 pointed, slightly toothed 

 on the margin, becom- 

 ing brownish red before 

 falling off; on young 

 plants or vigorous twigs 

 they are broadly lanceo- 

 late, often 10 mm. long, 

 with a long-pointed 

 apex. The staminate 

 flowers are oblong, 4- 

 sided, consisting of 16 

 to 20 opposite stamens 

 with ovate, pointed con- 

 nectives bearing several 

 anther-sacs. The pistil- 

 late flowers consist of 

 few thickened, sharp- 

 pointed, spreading scales bearing several ovules. The fruit is globular or some- 

 what longer than thick, 12 to 16 mm. in diameter, reddish brown, more or less 



Drooping Juniper. 



