Juniperus osteosperma

Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma )

The Utah Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma ) is a plant from the family of the cypress family ( Cupressaceae ). It is native to western North America.

Description

Habit and bark

Depending on the site conditions of the Utah juniper occurs as an evergreen shrub or tree. The shrub reaches stature heights of up to 3 meters. As a tree he achieved with a diameter at breast height of 60 to 75 centimeters plant height 6-12 meters. The short stem is often forked, multi-stemmed, often single-stemmed and eccentric. The open and round crown consists of upward branches. It is reported by individual specimens, which have a narrow, cypress -like stature. Young trees have a taproot that Glomus fasciculatum, among other things with the fungi Glomus mosseae and forms a mycorrhiza.

The scaly bark of the branches and the bark of old trees is reddish brown, but may have also weathering a gray to ash-gray color. The stem bark peels off in thin, gray- brown stripes, while the bark of the branches is smooth.

Wood

The light yellowish brown heartwood differs in color from the wide white sapwood. The brittle wood is relatively soft and durable. It smells less aromatic than that of other juniper species.

The bright yellow-green, ovate to rhombic scale leaves of the Utah juniper lie crosswise to -earth and rare in Dreierquirlen down to the very tips close to the rounded branches. Grates from one to the rough -feeling sheets, but an aromatic odor. Seedlings have 2 to 3 millimeters long, sharply pointed and awl -shaped needles.

Flowers, cones and seeds

The Utah Juniper is monoecious - getrenntgeschlechtig ( monoecious ). The flowering period extends from late March to early April. The rounded and 6 to 12 millimeters thick female Zapf flowers are terminal on short branches. They are colored brown to bluish- red at flowering time and have 6 pointed, slightly protruding seed scales. Each seed scale has 1-2 ovules. The terminally standing male flowers have 18 to 24 stamens. The seed scales of the female flowers are fleshy tap after pollination and grow plump, usually 8 to 9 millimeters in the extreme values ​​of 6 to 13 millimeter berry cones together. The mature in September of Year 2 berry cones are solid, gray bluish, often reddish - brown with graubläulichem paint and have a light layer of wax on. The dry " pulp " smells strongly aromatic, tastes sweet and is crisscrossed by canals. It contains one or rarely two seeds. The hard-shelled seeds are ovoid, somewhat edgy and have a pointed end with a rounded base. The thousand grain weight is around 91 grams. The diasporas are mainly spread by birds ( Ornithochorie ).

Distribution and location

The natural range of the Utah Juniper extends from the mountains in southwestern Wyoming and southeastern Idaho on the other U.S. states of Utah and Nevada and western Colorado to the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada and the Paramint Mountains in California and the plateaus of northern and medium-sized Arizona. Smaller stocks are found in southern Montana and western New Mexico. The focus of the distribution can be found in the Great Basin, where the species is the most common tree species. He is the dominant Wacholderart in Utah. In many places the semi-deserts of the southwest of North America, the Utah juniper is the only or the dominant tree species dar.

The Utah Juniper is a hardy tree species of the semi-arid climate with light annual precipitation of at least 200 mm. It settles slopes with dry, rocky soils at altitudes 900-2400 meters ( RP Adams is 1300-2600 meters on ). Even at exposed locations on is the type of sand storms, extreme heat and long dry periods. It forms together with the pinyon pines the " Pinyon - Juniper vegetation type."

System

The Utah Juniper is placed within the genus (Juniperus ) in the subgenus Sabina and section Pachyphlaeoides. Other authors refer to the subgenus section Sabina Sabina as that adduced no further taxonomic subdivision. After RP Adams, he is listed as a member of the group of " juniper with serrated, toothed leaf margins in the Western Hemisphere ." A synonym for Juniperus osteosperma ( Torr. ) Little is Juniperus utahensis ( Engelm. ) Lemm .. The specific epithet osteosperma means as much as "bone hard" and refers to the hard shell of the seed.

Should osteosperma Juniperus in northwestern Nevada to the American West juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) hybridize.

Diseases and Pests

The Utah Juniper is seriously endangered by any insect pests or harmful fungi. Widely used is an infestation of a subspecies of the semi parasite Phoradendron juniperinum, which considerably weakens the host plant. The type of fungus Phomopsis juniperovora caused bark necroses and solves a dieback from. The disease occurs mainly in nurseries. The Schadinsektenart Cudonigera houstoneana minimizes the leaves by the larvae serve as food.

Use

The timber is used as a fuel and for the preparation of fence posts used. The wood of an essential oil can be obtained, which is used as odorant in cosmetics and as an immersion oil in microscopy applications. In prehistoric times, ropes, bags, sandals, and mats were made ​​from the bark. The Indians used the wood as the roof beams and the berry cones as food. It also flares from the bark were produced.

Threats and conservation measures

The Utah juniper is indeed implemented by the World Conservation Union IUCN Red List of endangered species, but not as endangered ( "Least Concern" ) referred. However, a reassessment of the situation is deemed necessary.

In the U.S., these Wacholderart is provided by the State of Nevada, by limiting the use under protection.