De I. VNER VEW D Forest Trees of the Pacific Slope

FOREST TREES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 187
closely overlap each other in 4 rows on the slender, stiff-looking twigs; sometimes
arranged in 6 rows with three leaves at a joint. Leaves of vigorous
leading shoots are much larger and keenly pointed, while those of seedlings are
needle-like. The twigs appear round. Leaves of each season's growth persist
ten or twelve years or more. Bark of larger twigs which have shed their leaves
is pale reddish brown and scaly. Ripe berries (fig. 73), matured in the fall of
the second year, are covered with a whitish bloom which, when rubbed off,
exposes a smooth reqI-brown, tough skin. They usually contain one seed (occasionally
2), which is pointed at the top end, prominently and sharply angled
(fig. 73, a), and marked nearly to the top by what appears to be scale-like basal
covering (the seed scar), to which the thin, sweet pulp is attached. The surface
of the berries shows projecting points (ends of minute flower scales). Seedleaves,
usually 5, but ranging from 4 to 6; pointed.
Wood (commonly called "cedar" or "juniper "), light yellowish brown, with
a very thick, white sapwood; the durable heartwood has a less pungent "cedar"
odor than that of other junipers. The tree is too small and ill-shaped for commercial
use, though it finds important domestic use for fuel and posts wherever
it is sufficiently abundant.
LONGEVITY.-Few records of its age are available. Probably rather long-lived.
Trees from 6 to 10 inches in diameter are from 145 to 250 years old.
RANGE.
Southwestern Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and western Colorado to southeastern California
and northwestern Arizona; common throughout desert parts of this region, and
generally at from 5,000 to 8,000 feet elevation.
CALIFORNIA-Desert ranges east of Sierras. Abundant along summit of White and
Inyo mountains, except highest peaks, descending on east slope of White Mountains to
6,700 feet. Common in Panamint Range on northwest slope of Telescope Peak, extending
from 6,300 to 8,000 feet and sometimes higher. On Grapevine Mountains, on Providence
Mountains above 5,000 feet. Less abundant in range westward, as in that part
or Panamint Mountains near Jackass Spring, and on Coso and Inyo mountains; absent
fiom Argus Mountains and not yet detected on east slope of Sierras.
The detailed range of this juniper in the Rocky Mountain region will be dealt
with in a future bulletin.
OCCURRENCE.
On desert foothills and mountain slopes, in dry, rocky, gravelly, and sandy soils. In
extensive, rather open and scattered pure growths, or mixed with one-leaf pine and
desert shrubs.
CLIMATIC CONDITIoNs.-Characterized by great aridity, high temperature, and small
precipitation.
TOLERANCE AND REPRODUCTIoN.-Little known; probably similar to California juniper.
California Juniper.
Juniperus californica Carriere.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS.
California juniper is commonly known as "juniper" or "cedar." Its much
lower altitudinal range serves, however, to distinguish it roughly from the
western juniper. The exact lines where the two trees (similar in appearance)
approach each other have not been fully determined. Casual observation
might confuse one tree with the other, particularly young trees without fruit.
California juniper may be distinguished by several fairly prominent characters,
which should be carefully noted. Among these, and most conspicuous, is the
deeply infolded or fluted trunk, which is straight and less tapering than the
fuller, more rounded, and only slightly grooved trunk of the western juniper.