Distribution map (USGS 1999.

Common Names

Pinchot juniper, redberry juniper (Adams 1993).

Taxonomic notes

Syn: Juniperus erythrocarpa Cory (Adams 1993). Adams (1993) observes that the "type specimen of J. erythrocarpa is merely an individual with brighter red seed cones." Silba (1986) finds that J. erythrocarpa var. coahuilensis is a synonym for J. pinchotii var. erythrocarpa, whereas Adams deems it a synonym for J. coahuilensis, a taxon recognized here. This disagreement would suggest a close relationship between J. pinchotii and J. coahuilensis, and in fact the two species hybridize. Incidentally, Pinchot juniper does not hybridize with J. ashei or J. monosperma (Adams 1993).

Description

"Shrubs or shrubby trees dioecious, to 6 m, usually multistemmed; crown flattened-globose to irregular. Bark ashy gray to brown, exfoliating in long strips, that of small branchlets (5-10 mm diam.) smooth, that of larger branchlets exfoliating in strips or sometimes in flakes. Branches spreading to ascending; branchlets erect, 3-4-sided in cross section, ca. 2/3 as wide as length of scalelike leaves. Leaves yellow-green, abaxial glands elliptic to elongate, many with an evident white crystalline exudate, margins denticulate (at 20×); whip leaves 4-6 mm, not glaucous adaxially; scalelike leaves 1-2 mm, not overlapping or overlapping by not more than 1/5 their length, keeled, apex acute, spreading. Seed cones maturing in 1 year, of 1 size, with straight peduncles, globose to ovoid, 6-8(-10) mm, copper to copper-red, not glaucous, fleshy and sweet, not resinous, with 1(-2) seeds. Seeds 4-5 mm" (Adams 1993).

Range

US: New Mexico, Oklahoma & Texas; adjacent Mexico; at 300-1000(-1700) m elevation; on gravelly limestone and gypsum soils; on rolling hills and in ravines (Adams 1993). See also Thompson et al. (1999).

Big Tree

Diameter 115 cm, height 7 m, crown spread 8 m, located in Alpine, TX (American Forests 1996).

Oldest

Dendrochronology

Ethnobotany

Observations

Remarks

See Also

Elias (1987).

Farjon (2005) provides a detailed account, with illustrations.

Little (1980).

The Vascular Plant Image Gallery.

This page is from the Gymnosperm Database
URL: http://www.conifers.org/cu/ju/pinchotii.htm
Edited by Christopher J. Earle
Last modified on 2007.05.30