Gymnosperms (Seed Producing Plants: Conifers, Cycads, Ginkgo) • Earth.com

Himalayan pencil juniper

(Juniperus semiglobosa)

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Description

Juniperus semiglobosa (English: Himalayan Pencil Juniper;) is a species of juniper native to the mountains of Central Asia, in northeastern Afghanistan, westernmost China (Xinjiang), northern Pakistan, southeastern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, western Nepal, northern Republic of India, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It grows at altitudes of 1,550–4,350 metres (5,090–14,270 ft). Juniperus semiglobosa is an evergreen coniferous shrub or small to medium-sized tree growing to 5–15 metres (16–49 ft) (rarely 20 metres (66 ft)) tall, with a trunk up to 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) (rarely to 2–6 metres (6.6–19.7 ft)) diameter with flaky bark. The leaves are of two forms, juvenile needle-like leaves 3–7 mm long on seedlings and occasionally (regrowth after browsing damage) on adult plants, and adult scale-leaves 1–2 mm long on older plants; they are arranged in decussate opposite pairs or whorls of three. The cones are flattened globose (from which the name semiglobosa) to bi-lobed or triangular, berry-like, 4–6 mm long and 4–8 mm across, blue-black, and contain two or three seeds; they are mature in about 18 months. The pollen cones are 3–5 mm long, and shed their pollen in spring. It is usually dioecious (male and female cones on separate plants), but occasionally monoecious (male and female cones on the same plant). A variety Juniperus semiglobosa var. talassica has been described from Kyrgyzstan as having sweeter cone pulp, but does not differ from the type in genetics or leaf chemistry, and is not usually regarded as distinct. Junipers vary in size and shape from tall trees, 20–40 metres (66–131 ft) tall, to columnar or low-spreading shrubs with long, trailing branches. They are evergreen with needle-like and/or scale-like leaves. They can be either monoecious or dioecious. The female seed cones are very distinctive, with fleshy, fruit-like coalescing scales which fuse together to form a "berry"-like structure (galbulus), 4–27 millimetres (3⁄16–1+1⁄16 in) long, with one to 12 unwinged, hard-shelled seeds. In some species, these "berries" are red-brown or orange, but in most they are blue; they are often aromatic and can be used as a spice. The seed maturation time varies between species from 6 to 18 months after pollination. The male cones are similar to those of other Cupressaceae, with six to 20 scales.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum:
Class: Pinopsida
Order:Pinales
Family:Cupressaceae
Genus:Juniperus
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