Juniperus pinchotii

Scientific name: Juniperus pinchotii  Sudworth  1905

Synonyms:Juniperus erythrocarpa Cory, Juniperus monosperma var. pinchotii (Sudw.) Melle, Juniperus texensis Melle, Sabina pinchotii (Sudw.) I.M. Lewis

Common names:Pinchot juniper, Redberry juniper

Description

Shrubby tree to 6 m tall, divided from near the base, with trunks to 30 cm thick. Bark light gray or brown, thin, peeling in narrow strips. Crown broad, irregular, with upright to spreading branches. Branchlets four- (or three-) angled, 0.7-1.5 mm thick. Adult leaves in alternating pairs or trios, scalelike, 1-2.5 mm long, yellow-green, with an active oblong gland, the edge minutely toothed, the tip narrowly triangular and spreading from the twig. Pollen and seed cones on separate plants. Pollen cones single at the tips of branchlets, oblong, 3-4 mm long, with four or five alternating pairs of pollen scales. Seed cones single at the tips of short, straight branchlets, spherical, 6-8(-10) mm long, bright or metallic red, without a waxy coating, maturing in 1 year. Seed one (or two) 4-5 mm long, rich brown, the paler attachment scar about half the length of the seed.

South-central United States, in central and western Texas, and adjacent Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Coahuila (Mexico). Juniper-pine-oak woodlands on dry calcareous soils; 300-1,000(-2,100) m.

Conservation Status

Red List Category & Criteria: Least Concern

(This species has a large range (extent of occurrence) and is abundant; it is apparently spreading into grassland areas. It is therefore assessed as Least Concern)

References

Farjon, A. (2010). A Handbook of the World's Conifers. Koninklijke Brill, Leiden.

Eckenwalder, J.E. (2009) Conifers of the World: The Complete Reference. Timber Press, Portland.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Cambridge, UK /Gland, Switzerland

Copyright © Aljos Farjon, James E. Eckenwalder, IUCN, Conifers Garden. All rights reserved.