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Juniperus
communis L.
Standardized Common
Name: Juniper
Other Common Names: Common Juniper,
Horse Savin
Family: Cupressaceae
Taxonomy: Juniperus is
a gymnosperm, so does not have true flowers (the ovules are not enclosed within
an ovary, and the “fruit” is really a fleshy cone). The genus, which is
widespread in cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere and extends into Africa
and the West Indies, includes about 50 species. These are divided into two
major groups, one with scale-like leaves and one with needle-like leaves. Juniperus
communis belongs to the latter group. It is widely distributed in North
America and Eurasia, and is often cultivated. Its fruits are also used to
flavor gin.
Description: Low spreading shrub
or occasionally a small tree, trunk to 0.2 m in diameter at base, branching
close to the ground, with an open crown. Bark thin, dark reddish-brown, forming
long papery scales. Leaves needle-shaped, in whorls of 3, spreading, 7–12(–23)
mm long, somewhat triangular in cross-section, the upper surface concave with a
white streak. Usually dioecious; both male and female cones solitary. Male
cones 4–5(–8) mm long, yellow, with scales bearing pollen sacs. Female cones
composed of 3(–4) fleshy ovule-bearing scales, almost spherical, initially
green, maturing in three growing seasons. Mature cone almost spherical to
shortly cylindrical, 5–10 mm in diameter, blue to black, 1–3-seeded, surface glabrous.
Parts
in Commerce:
Small fleshy cone (“berry”)
Identification:
- Almost
spherical, (5–)6–9(–10) mm in diameter
- Blue-black to
brownish black, with faint waxy white coating most easily seen in fresh
material
- When dried,
surface irregular with few large depressions
- Base with two
whorls of 3 tiny appressed scales (if not lost) and stub or scar of
peduncle; scales tan, pointed
- Curved outlines
of fleshy scales that form cone may be seen as 3 furrows at apex
- Flesh
yellowish-brown
- Seeds 3 (rarely
2 or even 1)
- Seeds 2–3 mm
long, brown, more or less triangular, with acute apex
- Odor aromatic
- Taste pleasant,
aromatic, slightly bitter, reminiscent of turpentine
Adulterants: Other species of Juniperus
are occasionally substituted, especially in Europe where more species of
needle-leafed junipers are present. All likely potential contaminants differ
from the official material in at least one of the following ways:
- Larger or
smaller than expected
- Color reddish
brown
- Seeds 4 or more,
or 3 and fused into a single unit
- Seeds 4 mm long
or more
References:
do Amaral Franco J. Juniperus. In: Tutin TG, Heywood VH, Burges NA, et al.,
eds. Flora Europaea. 2nd ed., vol. 1. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press; 1993:46–48.
Elias TS. 1980. The Complete Trees of North
America. New York, NY: Gramercy Publishing Co.; 1980.
Rushforth K. Trees of Britain and Europe.
London: HarperCollins; 1999.
Wichtl M, ed. Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals, 3rd English ed. Stuttgart:
medpharm Scientific Publishers and Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 2004:320–323.
Youngken HW. Text-Book of Pharmacognosy, 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: The
Blakiston Company; 1943:114–115.
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