68 MISC. PUBLICATION 4 2 3, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



age. The exposed inner bark is much like that of manzanita (Arcto- 

 staphylos spp.). Both forms are highly variable and show intergrada- 

 tion in shape of the crown (narrowly conic to broad and rounded), 

 color of the foliage, presence or absence and size, when present, of the 

 dorsal pit and gland of the leaves, and size of the seeds. The ranges 

 of the two forms overlap but slightly, if at all. 



6. JUNIPERUS. 12 Juniper, cedar 



Evergreen trees or shrubs; leaves small, in alternate pairs or whorls, 

 subulate and spreading in the juvenile form, imbricate and appressed in 

 the mature form (except in J. communis) ; flowers commonly monoe- 

 cious; cones berrylike, the scales becoming fleshy and not separating 

 at maturity, or only slightly so at apex of the cone. 



Arizona possesses extensive stands of juniper, especially in the cen- 

 tral and northern portions, chiefly on well-drained, rather sterile soils. 

 The wood is much used in manufacturing lead pencils, but in Arizona 

 its chief utilization is for fuel and in making fence posts, for which the 

 very durable heartwood adapts it admirably. J. utahensis, with 

 relatively straight branches, is especially suitable for fence posts. 

 The foliage of junipers is browsed when other forage is scarce but is 

 injurious to livestock if eaten too freely. The berries are eaten greed- 

 ily by birds and other wild creatures, and formerly were used as food 

 by the Indians of Arizona. Those of J. communis are employed else- 

 where to give the characteristic flavor to gin and are the source of oil 

 of juniper, which has been used extensively in patent medicines. 

 This species forms a valuable ground cover where it is sufficiently 

 abundant. Juniper is used in various ways for medicinal and ritual- 

 istic purposes by the Hopi Indians. 



Key to the species 



1. Shrub, usually less than 1 m. high; branches prostrate or ascending; leaves 5 

 to 15 mm. long, lanceolate, not thickened or imbricate, the upper surface 



exposed to view and conspicuously whitened 1. J. communis. 



1. Shrubs or trees, 2 to 16 m. high; leaves of the ultimate twigs 1 to 3 mm. long, 



ovate, thickened, closelv imbricate, the upper surface not exposed to view 



(2). 



2. Bark divided into rectangular plates; foliage copiously dotted with resinous 



exudate; mature fruit mealy or resinous but not succulent; seeds mostly 



3 Or 4 2. J. PACHYPHLOEA. 



2. Bark fibrous, longitudinally fissured (3) . 



3. Leaves entire, paired; fruits 4 to 6 mm. in diameter, succulent; seeds 1 to 3, 

 usually 2; unseasoned heartwood reddish or purplish; branchlets flat- 

 tened, often more or less drooping 3. J. SCOPULORUM. 



3. Leaves minutely denticulate, usually in pairs but often in whorls of 3; 



seeds 1 or 2, commonlvsolitarv; heartwood vellowish brown; branchlets 



not flattened (4). 



4. Flowers dioecious; mature fruits succulent, 4 to 7 mm. in diameter; 



trunk almost invariably wanting, the plant spreading, with curved 



limbs arising at or below ground level; foliage inclined to bunch 



at ends of the branches; cotyledons 2 4. J. monosperma. 



4. Flowers monoecious; mature fruits mealy or fibrous, 7 to 18 mm. in diam- 

 eter; trunk either continuous or branched, but the limbs usually 

 arising above ground level; foliage not inclined to bunch; cotyledons 



4 tO 6 5. J. UTAHENSIS. 



12 Reference: Sudworth, George B. the cypress and juniper trees of the rocky mountain 

 region. TJ. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 207. 1915. 



