Utah juniper, sabina morena

Juniperus tetragona Schlechtendal var. osteosperma Torrey, Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 141. 1857; J. californica Carrière var. utahensis Engelmann; Sabina osteosperma (Torrey) Antoine; S. utahensis (Engelmann) Rydberg

Shrubs or trees monoecious, to 6(--12) m, multi- or single-stemmed; crown rounded. Bark exfoliating in thin gray-brown strips, that of smaller and larger branchlets smooth. Branches spreading to ascending; branchlets erect, 3--4-sided in cross section, about as wide as length of scalelike leaves. Leaves light yellow-green, abaxial glands inconspicuous and embedded, exudate absent, margins denticulate (at 20´); whip leaves 3--5 mm, glaucous adaxially; scalelike leaves 1--2 mm, not overlapping, or, if so, by less than 1/10 their length, keeled, apex rounded, acute or occasionally obtuse, appressed. Seed cones maturing in 1--2 years, of 1--2 sizes, with straight peduncles, globose, (6--)8--9(--12) mm, bluish brown, often almost tan beneath glaucous coating, fibrous, with 1(--2) seeds. Seeds 4--5 mm.

Dry, rocky soil and slopes; 1300--2600 m; Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., N.Mex., Utah, Wyo.

Juniperus osteosperma is the dominant juniper of Utah. It is reported to hybridize with J . occidentalis in northwestern Nevada (F. C. Vasek 1966).