Juniperus barbadensis

The Caribbean juniper (Juniperus barbadensis ) is a plant from the family of the cypress family ( Cupressaceae ). It is native to the Caribbean islands.

Description

The Caribbean can juniper grows as einstämmiger evergreen tree of stature heights of up to 15 meters and diameter at breast height of up to 60 centimeters reached. The branches has a thickness of usually not more than 1 millimeter. The thin and fibrous bark is initially pale brown and light gray with time. She peels off in long, thin strips.

The scale-like, bright green needles are about one millimeter long and are alternate on the branches. The blunt or pointed tip is pressed against the branches. On the back of the needles, there are several inconspicuous glands.

The male cones are oblong-shaped, with a length of 2.5 to 5 mm and consist of six to seven pairs of scales. The beer shaped cones are spherical shaped flattened at a length of 4 to 5 millimeters and a thickness of five to eight millimeters. At maturity they are out reddish colored blue to dark blue and are of a waxy layer. Each of the pin carries two to four bright, yellowish-brown seeds. These are two to three millimeters long.

Distribution and location

The natural range of the Caribbean juniper is located in the Caribbean. It includes doing the northern Bahamas, the Isla de la Juventud, Jamaica, Sierra de Nipe, Cuba and the Pitons of Saint Lucia.

The Caribbean juniper grows from sea level to altitudes of 1600 meters. One especially in dry and open woodlands where he settled him calcareous soils.

Use

The wood is used as firewood use.

System

The first description as Juniperus barbadensis barbadensis was made in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum 2, p 1039th synonyms for Juniperus Juniperus virginiana L. are var barbadensis (L.) Gordon and Sabina barbadensis (L.) Small.

The species is divided into up to two varieties:

• Juniperus barbadensis barbadensis var is the nominate form. It comes only in the summit regions of the Petions ago on Saint Lucia.
• Juniperus barbadensis var lucayana ( Britton ) RP Adams occurs in the remaining area of ​​distribution.

Threats and conservation

The variety barbadensis is listed in the IUCN Red List as " critically endangered ". The variety lucayana is listed as "vulnerable". However, it is noted that a re-evaluation of the risk is necessary. Strong tree felling and overgrazing associated with a low rate of regeneration have led to having the species survives only in areas difficult to reach. It has already been eradicated in Barbados, the type locality, as well as in Haiti.

Swell

• Template: Internet resource / maintenance / access date not in ISO format Christopher J. Earle: Juniperus barbadensis. In: The Gymnosperm Database. www.conifers.org, January 4, accessed on February 9, 2012 ( English).
• James E. Eckenwalder: Conifers of the world: the complete reference. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon, 2009, ISBN 978-0-88192-974-4, S. 281 ( limited preview on Google Book Search ).