Juniperus procumbens

Creeping juniper (Juniperus procumbens )

The Creeping juniper (Juniperus procumbens ) is a plant from the family of the cypress family ( Cupressaceae ). It is native to the islands of southern Japan.

Description

The Creeping juniper grows as evergreen, low -lying shrub that can reach heights of growth of up to 70 centimeters. The creeping, elongated branches are bent at their ends to the top.

The 6-8 mm long, stiff leaves are needle -shaped and stand together in Dreierwirteln. They are easily bent, have two white Stomatabänder on the leaf surface and are grooved on the underside of leaves. The leaf base is decurrent and the tip is pointed.

The appearance of the male cones is not known. The pins are approximately spherically shaped with a diameter of 8-9 millimeters. At maturity towards them are black colored and frosted blue-green. Each pin carries two to three seeds. The serrated seeds are about 4 millimeters long.

Occurrence

The natural range of the Creeping juniper is located in Japan on Kyushu and the bonuses Islands. In the Chinese provinces of Anhui, Fujian, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shandong, Yunnan and Zhejiang, it occurs wild.

Use

The Creeping juniper is used as an ornamental shrub.

System

The first description as Juniperus chinensis var procumbens in 1847 by Philipp Franz von Siebold in Coniferarum Synopsis, page 21 In 1870, the variety of flora Japonica Siebold in 2, page 59 was raised as Juniperus procumbens to the rank of an independent nature. Synonyms for Juniperus procumbens ( Siebold ex Endl. ) Miq are Sabina procumbens ( Siebold ex Endl. ) Iwata & Kusaka and Sabina chinensis var procumbens ( Siebold ex Endl. ) Antoine.

Endangering

The Creeping juniper is " not endangered" than in the IUCN Red List. However, it is noted that a re-examination of risk is necessary.

Swell

• Christopher J. Earle: Juniperus procumbens. In: The Gymnosperm Database. www.conifers.org, November 23, 2012, accessed on 22 December 2012 ( English).
• Liguo Fu Yong -fu Yu, Robert P. Adams & Aljos Farjon: Cupressaceae. Juniperus. In: Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven & Hong Deyuan (eds.): Flora of China. Cycadaceae through Fagaceae. Volume 4, Science Press and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, Beijing and St. Louis in 1999, ISBN 0-915279-70-3, Juniperus procumbens, S. 71 ( this printed work is the same text online, Juniperus procumbens - Online).