A Report on the Mature Wood of the Syrian or Drupe-Fruited Juniper, Juniperus drupacea Labill

Abstract

Because no record of the anatomy of the mature wood of the Syrian juniper, Juniperus drupacea Labill. (also known as Arceuthos drup'ac?a (Labill.) Ant. and Kosch.) has been available, many requests to various forestry stations and to individuals were made during the last year and a half. The results of this study are based upon wood specimens obtained fro-m two forestry stations in Turkey and olne from the Institute of Forestry Research of Athens, Greece. The writer has deposited certain specimens fromn these collections with the Chicago Natural History Museum, I. W. Bailey of Harvard University, Yale University School of Forestry, Archie F. Wilson of the Wood Collectors Society, and the U. S. Forest Products Laboratory at Madison. Phillips (1941) has described the wood of twig specimens, and the writer has also examined twig specimens from six different sources. According to Dallimore and Jackson (1948), the plant is a native of the mountains of Asia Minor, Syria and Greece. It is found at elevations of 1,600-5,600 feet, either forming pure stands or mixed with other conifers. One 85 year old cross-cut (diameter 11.5 cm.) and 50 year old crosscut (diameter 6 cm.), together with twigs and female cones, were supplied by the Regional Forestry office of Adana, Turkey. This material carried th.e following information: From Sahmurlu Alanbasl (Silifke); north slope; 21 km. distance from sea level; 1140 m. above sea level; height of cross cuts, meter from ground. A second shipment from the Regional Forestry office of Antalya, Turkey included 80 year old cross-cut (diameter 14 cm.) together with twigs and female cone. This material carried the notation that it came from the forest of Gazi pasha (town of Antalya) where the trees are found by one in the forest. The cross-cut was mac!e 30 cm. from the ground from a plant growing 850 m. above sea level. A cross-cut, approximately 55 years of age (diameter 15 cm.), was provided by Panos Grekiotis of the Institute of Forest Research, Athens, Greece. The specimen was taken from the forest of Stalamata cn Mt. Parnon in Peloponnese, located between Sparta and Argolicos Gulf. It was taken from a tree about 28 feet in height, cut 3I/2 feet above ground level. The species grows within a zone of average elevation of 2,000 feet. Dr. Grekiotis reports that from a plant geographic point of view it belongs to the Etage Mediterraneen de haute montagne. It is found growing on calcareous soil composed of a red-brown type of earth (terre jaune mediterranneene) but not of terra rossa. It is a pioneer species to the Grecian fir, Abies cephalonica Loud., growing in forest stands as well as an isolated tree, and reaching a height of 30 feet and a diameter of foot. Twig specimens were obtained from the following sources: 1) U. S. National Herbarium (Plantae montium Syriae borealis; Ex Herb. Postian. apud Colleg. Syriens. Protest., 1884); 2) Forestry Station of Adana, Turkey;