Juniperus procera Hochst. ex Endl. Cupressaceae

Abstract

Botany and Ecology Juniperus procera Hochst. ex Endl.: Straight evergreen trees up to 40 m tall, bark papery, reddish-brown. Leaves on young plants in threes, subulate, spine-tipped, with an elongate gland abaxially, mature foliage of decussate scale-like leaves, varying in size as the individual ages down to 1 mm long, abaxial gland elliptic. Male cones 3 mm long, elliptic, scales about 10, each bearing 2-3 pollen sacs. Male cones 3 mm long, elliptic, scales about 10, each bearing 2-3 pollen sacs. Female strobili of 6-8 scales. Ripe fruit 6 mm in diameter, globose, blue-black, with the tips of the scales just distinguishable. Mature seeds 5 mm long, 1 or 2, brown, aborted seeds 1-3, smaller. Juniperus procera occurs wild from Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia southwards through East Africa and eastern DR Congo to Malawi and Zimbabwe; it also occurs wild in Saudi Arabia and Yemen (Melville 1958). Juniperus procera grows rather fast in comparison to other primary forest species (Bussmann 1999). Pencil Cedar needs light to germinate and does not germinate without scarification, which naturally is done by fire. The seeds of the species stores exceptionally well for years (Bussmann and Lange 2000). The species forms the most extensive