Juniperus procera Hochst. ex Endl.

Tree to 40 m, single-stemmed (rarely multistemmed), to at least 2.29 m dbh. Bark initially purplish, smooth with papery flakes, later brown or grey-brown with deep, longitudinal furrows, peeling in long strips. Crown pyramidal initially, becoming broad, domed or flat-topped, irregular and open with age. Branchlets in flattened sprays or with an irregular arrangement. Juvenile leaves in whorls of three or almost decussate, 0.8–1 × 0.1 cm; mature leaves light green or yellowish green, basally appressed, c. 0.1(–0.6) cm long; leaf resin glands conspicuous and active. Dioecious. Male strobili borne on short, lateral branches, green to orange-brown, 0.3–0.5 cm long, globose to ovoid, microsporophylls 10–12. Female cones solitary, ovoid, 0.3–0.7 cm diameter, colour variable (bluish or brownish or purplish black). Seeds (one to) two to three (to four) per cone. Farjon 1992, 2005c. Distribution CONGO (DEM. REP.); DJIBOUTI; ETHIOPIA; KENYA; MALAWI; SAUDI ARABIA; SOMALIA; SUDAN; TANZANIA; UGANDA; YEMEN; ZIMBABWE. The only species of Juniperus occurring south of the Equator. Habitat Primarily a species of African mountains between 1050 and 3600 m asl, though also occurs in upland savannas and on the Red Sea coast. Tolerates a wide range of rainfall regimes, from 1000–1200 mm (annual precipitation) in East Africa to as little as 400 mm. USDA Hardiness Zone 9. Conservation status Lower Risk. Several local populations of J. procera are endangered; the Zimbabwe population (Inyanga Mt.) has been reduced to just one individual (Coates Palgrave 1990). Illustration Farjon 1992; NT29, NT415, NT422. Cross-reference K143.