Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

Presented in Association with the
Western New Mexico University Department of Natural Sciences

Juniperus deppeana Steudel
(Alligator Juniper)

Family: Cupressaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Juniperus pachyphloea Torrey
Juniperus deppeana Steudel var., pachyphloea (Torrey) Martinez

Juniperus deppeana is the most common Juniper in Southwest New Mexico and the Gila National Forest. It has bark that reminds some of alligator skin. It is broken into sections and peels off in rectangles. The pollen producing trees are bright orange in late winter and in some areas an orange dust seems to blow into the air as pollen fills the air. Most leaves have resinous white exudate on them. The pollen cones are only a few millimeters long and at the ends of branches. The seed cones are round and berry-like with projections. They are glaucous and purple outside and mealy inside. Within the mealy matrix inside are three to five ovoid seeds. Unlike genus Cupressus, these seeds are not winged.
The small leaves in cross section have a central vascular bundle containing phloem and xylem. There are additionally two secretory canals under the palisade cells near the adaxial surface. The canals probably contain resin, which contains many substances some of which are terpenoids.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Juniperus deppeana, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns, Knight Mtn., May 9, 2007



Juniperus deppeana, with cones, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, July 23, 2007



Juniperus deppeana, growth form, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Sheep Corral Road, Dec. 2, 2008



Juniperus deppeana, closeup of bark, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Gold Gulch, Dec. 7, 2008



Juniperus deppeana, growth form, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Gold Gulch, Dec. 7, 2008



Juniperus deppeana, 1x macro of twig with white exudate on leaves, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, Dec. 8, 2008



Juniperus deppeana, 3x macro of twig with white exudate on leaves, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, Dec. 8, 2008



Juniperus deppeana, macro of bisected seed cone with non-winged seeds, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, Dec. 18, 2008



Juniperus deppeana, macro of non-winged seeds, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, Dec. 18, 2008



Juniperus deppeana, 4x macro of pollen cone with pollen sacs, photo Russ Kleinman, Pinos Altos Range, Pinos Altos, February 20, 2010



Juniperus deppeana, photo Russ Kleinman & Richard Felger, Black Range, trail to Rabb Park, May 12, 2011



Juniperus deppeana, with different appearance of bark, photo Russ Kleinman & Richard Felger, Black Range, trail to Rabb Park, May 12, 2011



Juniperus deppeana, photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos, February 10, 2018



Juniperus deppeana, photomicrograph of leaf cross section, photo Russ Kleinman & Karen Blisard, Pinos Altos, February 10, 2018


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