Species: Juniperus scopulorum Sarg.

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Juniperus scopulorum Sarg.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Cupressaceae

Genus:

Juniperus

Species Synonyms:

Juniperus scopulorum var. columnaris Fassett
Juniperus virginiana var. montana Vasey
Juniperus virginiana ssp. scopulorum (Sarg.) E. Murr.
Sabina scopulorum (Sarg.) Rydb.
Juniperus virginiana var. scopulorum (Sarg.) Lemmon

Common Names:

Rocky Mountain juniper

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

central and southern British Columbia – southern Alberta – southern Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

southern Saskatchewan; Big Muddy Lake – Wood Mountain

Ecoregion:

Mixed Grassland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

bushy ravine slopes

Associated Species:

creeping juniper, dwarf juniper, needle-and-thread grass, silver sagebrush, western snowberry

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Rocky Mountain juniper is endangered because it is extremely rare in the province. It is only known from one general region of the province and represents an eastward expansion of the species. Only a few individuals are known from each site..

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

to 10 m

Stems:

small tree or shrub, scraggly; bark grooved, reddish-brown to greyish, usually shredding with age

Leaves:

evergreen; juvenile leaves narrowly triangular, 5 – 7 mm long; mature leaves scale-like, appressed, overlapping, tip acute to obtuse, glandular on back, green to bluish

Pollen Cone:

on separate plant from seed cone, solitary at ends of branches, very small,
catkin-like, yellowish-brown

Seed Cone:

solitary at tips of branches, stalk straight or slightly curved, berry-like,
greenish when immature, bright blue beneath bloom at maturity; seeds usually 2 per cone, yellowish to tan

JUNIPERUS KEY FOR SPECIES IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Mature leaves needle-like, whorled, spreading; berry-like cones sessile in axils	J. communis
1 Mature leaves scale-like, opposite, appressed; berry-like cones on terminal branches	2

2 Branches creeping; scale-like leaves with an abrupt point at tip	J. horizontalis
2 Branches erect; scale-like leaves acute to obtuse at tip	J. scopulorum