Juniperus uncinata
Hooked branchlet juniper (Adams et al. 2009).
Juniperus recurva var. uncinata R.P. Adams 2009 was described as a new variety of J. recurva, found in Nepal and bearing hooked branchlets. At the time of its description nrDNA and cpDNA analyses were performed that showed it to be intermediate between J. recurva and J. indica, with morphological characters more nearly consistent with J. recurva. Subsequent, more extensive molecular analyses (Adams and Schwarzbach 2012, 2013) have shown J. uncinata to share a clade with J. coxii, sister to a clade containing both J. indica and J. recurva, and about equally similar to J. convallium; this result is used by Adams and Schwarzbach (2012) to justify its treatment at species rank. In addition, the essential leaf oil composition of the two species is dissimilar, with J. recurva containing a variety of compounds not found in J. uncinata (Adams et al. 2009). All of these species belong to the turbinate seed cone clade, which includes about 15 central Asian species of, generally, very similar appearance. Discriminating discrete species among these taxa is challenging, as discussed in the "Taxonomic notes" for Juniperus.
Type: Nepal, 100 m S of Lauri Bainayak, 28.092283°N, 85.381317°E, 3,900 m elevation, on a south-facing slope, 0.5 × 0.5 m shrub, 1993.11.01, Adams 7212 (Adams et al. 2009).
Similar to Juniperus recurva, but is generally a multi-stemmed shrub (whereas J. recurva typically has a single stem). The leaves are 20-28 mm long, compared to 35-50 mm in J. recurva. The terminal branchlet tips form an open hook at their tips, with a radius of about 5 mm, in contrast to J. recurva which has lax tips, not hooked (see photos in Adams et al. [2009]).
Adams et al. (2009) reports that J. uncinata and J. recurva hybridize in the area around Cholan Pati, Nepal. The hybrids are multi-stemmed and bear hooked branchlets like J. uncinata, but have longer leaves like J. recurva. Adams et al. (2009) also report individuals that appear to be back-crossed, or of an F2 generation, having very small leaves and branchlet tips that are scarcely hooked, "suggesting the presence of some genes from J. recurva in an otherwise typical J. uncinata individual."
Nepal; thus far (mid-2019) no collections have been reported except at the type locale.
The species has not been recognized by the IUCN and thus has no formal conservation status. Per IUCN criteria, it would likely be assessed as "Data Deficient" due to very limited knowledge of its distribution.
No data as of 2023.03.03.
The epithet refers to the hooked barbs on the branchlets.
Adams, R. P., R. P. Chaudhary, R. N. Pandey, and R. L. Singh. 2009. Juniperus recurva var. uncinata, the hooked branchlet juniper, a new variety from Nepal. Phytologia 91:361–382.
Adams, R. P., and A. E. Schwarzbach. 2012. Taxonomy of the turbinate shaped seed cone taxa of Juniperus, section Sabina: sequence analysis of nrDNA and four cpDNA regions. Phytologia 94(3):388-403.
Adams, R. P., and A. E. Schwarzbach. 2013. Taxonomy of the turbinate shaped seed cone taxa of Juniperus, section Sabina: Revisited. Phytologia 95:122–124.
Last Modified 2023-03-03
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