Juniperus oxycedrus
Cedar (Juniperus oxycedrus )
The cedar juniper and prickly juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus ) is a plant from the family of the cypress family ( Cupressaceae ).
Description
The cedar juniper grows as a shrub or small tree, reaching heights of growth 1-8 meters, in exceptional cases up to 14 meters. The treetop grows roundish to irregularly conical. The bark is gray to reddish brown and längsstreifig. The branches are ascending from up horizontally. The branches are almost triangular in cross section. The needle-like leaves are from three rows in whorls and of the branches. They are pointed and piercing are 11 to 20 mm long. On the top there are two whitish stripes ( gap opening bands).
The cedar juniper is dioecious getrenntgeschlechtig ( dioecious ). The flowering period extends from April to May The inconspicuous male flowers appear singly in the leaf axils. The ripening in the second year beer shaped pins are spherical and contain from two to four, but usually three seeds.
In contrast to the orange or reddish-brown cones with a diameter of 6 to 13 mm of the subspecies Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus the pins of the second subspecies of Juniperus oxycedrus stain subsp. badia when ripe purple reddish- brown and have a diameter of 10 to 13 mm on; also take advantage of the terminal branches of the latter subspecies a hanging downward position.
Occurrence
The cedar juniper comes in the Mediterranean west of Italy before. The previously specified under this type stocks eastward from Italy to Iran and the Caucasus are the new species Juniperus deltoides assigned. The variety Juniperus oxycedrus var badia is common in the southwest of Europe and indeed in the eastern Portugal and central Spain. Other deposits are found in North Africa in northern Algeria. As the site preferably Juniperus oxycedrus maquis and forests to the mountains on dry to fresh, nutrient-rich, sandy to feinkiesigen soils, which can be slightly acidic to alkaline strong. It grows in sunny, hot locations and is sensitive to frost.
Threats and conservation measures
Juniperus oxycedrus is rated by the World Conservation Union IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as not at risk ( "Least Concern" ). The European Union protects the Fauna-Flora -Habitat Directive Nr.92/43/EWG in the updated version of 1 January 2007, Annex I, all juniper species of the habitat type " tree -shaped matorral " as natural habitat types of Community interest whose conservation special Protection Areas must be shown.
System
Juniperus oxycedrus was first published in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum.
Of this kind there are two subspecies:
- Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. badia ( H.Gay ) Debeaux: Was a while as a separate species Juniperus badia H.Gay or even as a variety Juniperus oxycedrus var badia classified H.Gay ..
- Juniperus oxycedrus L. subsp. oxycedrus
Two subspecies have become independent ways:
- Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa ( Sibth. et Sm ) ball is now Juniperus macrocarpa Sibth. & Sm
- Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. transtagana Franco is now Juniperus navicularis Gand.
The holdings of Juniperus oxycedrus L. subsp. oxycedrus in Italy and eastward Juniperus deltoides RPAdams were spun by Robert P.Adams as cryptic species.
Ecology
Juniperus oxycedrus is the host plant of Arceuthobium oxycedri.