Introductory
SPECIES: Juniperus erythrocarpa | Redberry Juniper 



ABBREVIATION : 
JUNERY

SYNONYMS : 
   Juniperus coahuilensis (Martinez) Gaussen [10]
   Juniperus erythrocarpa var. coahuilensis Martinez [23]
   Juniperus texensis Van Melle [25]


SCS PLANT CODE : 
   JUER


COMMON NAMES : 
   redberry juniper
   rose-fruited juniper


TAXONOMY : 
The currently accepted scientific name for redberry juniper is Juniperus
erythrocarpa Cory [10].  Confusion about the correct name for this
entity arose over its morphological resemblance to oneseed juniper (J.
monosperma) and over its red cones, which resemble those of Pinchot
juniper (J. pinchottii).  Redberry juniper intergrades with Pinchot
juniper in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas, where their ranges overlap.
There is a probable hybrid swarm in the Basin of the Chisos Mountains,
Texas [1,14].  Zanoni and Adams [24] determined that redberry juniper
and Pinchot juniper are the most closely related junipers based on
similarity of leaf oil terpenoids and other characters.


LIFE FORM : 
Tree, Shrub

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
No special status

OTHER STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY


COMPILED BY AND DATE : 
Janet Sullivan, October 1993


LAST REVISED BY AND DATE : 
NO-ENTRY


AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
Sullivan, Janet. 1993. Juniperus erythrocarpa. In: Remainder of Citation

DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Juniperus erythrocarpa | Redberry Juniper 



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION : 
Redberry juniper occurs in disjunct populations from western Texas
(Trans-Pecos), southwestern New Mexico, and southern Arizona south to
San Luis Potosi, Mexico [10,14].


ECOSYSTEMS : 
   FRES33  Southwestern shrubsteppe
   FRES34  Chaparral - mountain shrub
   FRES35  Pinyon - juniper
   FRES40  Desert grasslands


STATES : 
     AZ  NM  TX  MEXICO


ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS : 
     AMIS  SAGU


BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS : 
    7  Lower Basin and Range
   13  Rocky Mountain Piedmont


KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS : 
   K023  Juniper - pinyon woodland
   K031  Oak - juniper woodlands
   K058  Grama - tobosa shrubsteppe
   K059  Trans-Pecos shrub savanna


SAF COVER TYPES : 
    66  Ashe - redberry (Pinchot) juniper
   239  Pinyon - juniper
   241  Western live oak


SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES : 
NO-ENTRY


HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES : 
In the Southwest junipers (Juniperus spp.) are associated with oaks
(Quercus spp.) and true pinyon (Pinus edulis).  Junipers increase in
dominance over oaks and pinyons on dry sites [14].  Redberry juniper is
common in alligator juniper (J. deppeana)-pinyon woodlands and savannas,
and in areas where its range overlaps with Utah juniper (J.
osteosperma), oneseed juniper (J. monosperma), and Rocky Mountain
juniper (J. scopulorum) [8].  It occurs in evergreen oak woodlands with
Emory oak (Q. emoryi) and Mexican blue oak (Q. oblongifolia) [11].
Redberry juniper is also found in Arizona chaparral woodlands with shrub
live oak (Q. turbinella) and Arizona rosewood (Vauquelinia californica)
[20].  It occurs as scattered individuals in grama (Bouteloua spp.)
grasslands, along with scattered velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina),
Mexican blue oak, and alligator juniper [14].

A publication listing redberry juniper as a codominant species is as
follows:

Classification of pinyon-juniper (p-j) sites on National Forests in the
   Southwest [12]

VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Juniperus erythrocarpa | Redberry Juniper 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
Redberry juniper wood is used locally for posts and fuel [21].


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
The fleshy, berry-like cones of redberry juniper are eaten by at least
four species of songbirds, Gambel's quail, coyotes, foxes, raccoons,
rock squirrels, Hopi chipmunks, and probably other birds and mammals [14,21].


PALATABILITY : 
NO-ENTRY


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Juniper bark was used by Native Americans to make mats, saddles, and
other items.  They also used the seeds for beads or ground the fleshy
cones for flour [14,21].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Juniperus erythrocarpa | Redberry Juniper 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Redberry juniper is a native, evergreen, small tree or large shrub.
Mature height usually ranges from 12 to 15 feet (3.6-4.5 m), with
spreading and ascending branches forming an open, irregular crown.  The
ovulate cones contain one seed [15].  The bark is shreddy, but but is
formed close to the trunk.  Redberry juniper tends to have a central
erect stem with lower branches originating near the ground level [5].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Phanerophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Redberry juniper reproduces by seed.  Further information specific to
reproduction in redberry juniper is not available.  Pinchot juniper is
one of the few juniper species known to sprout after top-kill, and it is
closely related to redberry juniper.  In most junipers germination may
be delayed up to 2 years through embryo dormancy, seedcoat
impermeability, or chemical inhibitors.  Juniper seedling establishment
is enhanced by light shade, which helps maintain adequate moisture [7].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
In Trans-Pecos Texas junipers are most common on rocky or poor soils
[14].  Redberry juniper occurs most often on dry, well-drained soils in
full sun [19].  It occurs at elevations of 4,000 feet (1,200 m) to 6,500
feet (2,000 m) through its range [1,16].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Facultative Seral Species

Redberry juniper is intolerant of shade [7].  Junipers often invade
grasslands and are gradually replaced by pinyons [7].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Redberry juniper is pollinated in late fall, and the ovulate cones
mature in late spring [5].  Most juniper seeds germinate in spring [7].

FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Juniperus erythrocarpa | Redberry Juniper 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Redberry juniper occurs on juniper savannas, which are kept open by
fire.  Fires in these habitats tend to be surface fires carried by
grasses, which burn so rapidly that heat levels lethal to large redberry
juniper are rarely generated [7].  Fire-free intervals of 10 years or
more are usually sufficient to allow juniper (Juniperus spp.) saplings
to reach fire-resistant size:  about 3 to 6 feet (1-2 m) [22].  Redberry
juniper occurs in evergreen oak woodlands [11] which experience rapidly
burning grass fires approximately every 10 to 20 years [22].

In some areas, junipers (probably including redberry juniper) are
encroaching on grasslands that were historically kept clear of trees and
shrubs by very frequent fires.  Climatic changes and intensive livestock
grazing have also been implicated in this encroachment [7].


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Tree without adventitious-bud root crown
   Secondary colonizer - off-site seed

FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Juniperus erythrocarpa | Redberry Juniper 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Specific information in the immediate effect of fire on redberry juniper
is lacking in the literature.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
NO-ENTRY


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

REFERENCES
SPECIES: Juniperus erythrocarpa | Redberry Juniper 



REFERENCES : 

 .  Adams, Robert P.; Kistler, J. R. 1991. Hybridization between Juniperus
       erythrocarpa Cory and Juniperus pinchotii Sudworth in the Chisos
       Mountains, Texas. Southwestern Naturalist. 36(3): 295-301.  [17084]

 .  Bernard, Stephen R.; Brown, Kenneth F. 1977. Distribution of mammals,
       reptiles, and amphibians by BLM physiographic regions and A.W. Kuchler's
       associations for the eleven western states. Tech. Note 301. Denver, CO:
       U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p. 
       [434]

 .  Bowers, Janice E.; McLaughlin, Steven P. 1987. Flora and vegetation of
       the Rincon Mountains, Pima County, Arizona. Desert Plants. 8(2): 50-94. 
       [495]

 .  Eyre, F. H., ed. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and
       Canada. Washington, DC: Society of American Foresters. 148 p.  [905]

 .  Fletcher, Reggie A. 1985. Differentiation of Juniperus erythrocarpa and
       Juniperus monosperma. Range Notes No. 3. Albuquerque, NM: U.S.
       Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southwestern Region. 5 p. 
       [22198]

 .  Garrison, George A.; Bjugstad, Ardell J.; Duncan, Don A.; [and others].
       1977. Vegetation and environmental features of forest and range
       ecosystems. Agric. Handb. 475. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
       Agriculture, Forest Service. 68 p.  [998]

 .  Gottfried, Gerald J. 1992. Ecology and management of the southwestern
       pinyon-juniper woodlands. In: Ffolliott, Peter F.; Gottfried, Gerald J.;
       Bennett, Duane A.; [and others], technical coordinators. Ecology and
       management of oaks and associated woodlands: perspectives in the sw
       United States & n Mexico: Proceedings; 1992 April 27-30; Sierra Vista,
       AZ. Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-218. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of
       Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment
       Station: 78-86.  [19745]

 .  Hill, Alison. 1990. Ecology and classification of the pinyon-juniper
       woodlands in western New Mexico. Las Cruces, NM: New Mexico State
       University. 75 p. Dissertation. In: Dissertation Abstracts
       International. 51(11): 5116-B. [1991].  [24518]

 .  Kuchler, A. W. 1964. Manual to accompany the map of potential vegetation
       of the conterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. New York:
       American Geographical Society. 77 p.  [1384]

.  Little, Elbert L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native
       and naturalized). Agric. Handb. 541. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
       Agriculture, Forest Service. 375 p.  [2952]

.  McPherson, Guy R. 1992. Ecology of oak woodlands in Arizona. In:
       Ffolliott, Peter F.; Gottfried, Gerald J.; Bennett, Duane A.; [and
       others], technical coordinators. Ecology and management of oak and
       associated woodlands: perspectives in the sw United States & n Mexico:
       Proceedings; 1992 April 27-30; Sierra Vista, AZ. Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-218.
       Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky
       Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station: 24-33.  [19737]

.  Moir, W. H.; Carleton, J. O. 1987. Classification of pinyon-juniper
       (p-j) sites on National Forests in the Southwest. In: Everett, Richard
       L., compiler. Proceedings--pinyon-juniper conference; 1986 January
       13-16; Reno, NV. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-215. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of
       Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station: 216-226. 
       [6852]

.  Pieper, Rex D. 1992. Species composition of woodland communities in the
       Southwest. In: Ffolliott, Peter F.; Gottfried, Gerald J.; Bennett, Duane
       A.; [and others], technical coordinators. Ecology and management of oak
       and assoiciated woodlands: perspectives in the sw United States & n
       Mexico: Proceedings; 1992 April 27-30; Sierra Vista, AZ. Gen. Tech. Rep.
       RM-218. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
       Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station: 119-124. 
       [19750]

.  Powell, A. Michael. 1988. Trees & shrubs of Trans-Pecos Texas including
       Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks. Big Bend National Park,
       TX: Big Bend Natural History Association. 536 p.  [6130]

.  Raunkiaer, C. 1934. The life forms of plants and statistical plant
       geography. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 632 p.  [2843]

.  Simpson, Benny J. 1988. A field guide to Texas trees. Austin, TX: Texas
       Monthly Press. 372 p.  [11708]

.  Stickney, Peter F. 1989. Seral origin of species originating in northern
       Rocky Mountain forests. Unpublished draft on file at: U.S. Department of
       Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, Fire
       Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT; RWU 4403 files. 7 p.  [20090]

.  U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. 1982.
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.  Van Dersal, William R. 1938. Native woody plants of the United States,
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.  Van Devender, Thomas R.; Mead, Jim I.; Rea, Amadeo M. 1991. Late
       Quaternary plants and vertebrates from Picacho Peak, Arizona.
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.  Vines, Robert A. 1960. Trees, shrubs, and woody vines of the Southwest.
       Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. 1104 p.  [7707]

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       and southern Canada. New York: John Wiley & Sons. 501 p.  [2620]

.  Zanoni, Thomas A.; Adams, Robert P. 1975. The genus Juniperus
       (Cupressaceae) in Mexico and Guatemala: numerical and morphological
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       (Juniperus, Cupressaceae) -- a century later. Phytologia. 38(6):
       433-454.  [4954]

Related categories for Species: Juniperus erythrocarpa | Redberry Juniper