Ju'niper (OnH, ro'them, prob. so called from its use in binding; Sept. in 1 Kings xix, 4, 'PdBafi v. r. 'P«^- fiiv; in verse 5, ^vt6v\ in Job xxx, 4, 'ivXov; in Psa. cxx, 4, iprifiiKoQ; \u\g. Junipenis, but in Psa. cxx, 4, desolatorius), a shrub or tree mentioned as affording shade to Elijah in his flight to Horeb (1 Kings xix, 4, 5), and as affording material for fuel, and also, in extreme cases, for human food (Psa. cxx, 4 ; Job xxx, 4). The older translators seem to have been unaciiuainted with it, while the modem versions have generally followed the Vulgate in referring it to the juniper (see Stengel in the Bihlioth. Brem. vii, fasc. 5; Hiller, Hierophyt. i, 253 ; Sprengel, Gcsch. d. Botan. i, 25), which, however, seems to be indicated by a different Hebrew ^vord. See Heath.
The different species of jimiper have by some botan- ists been ranked under Ced7-UJ<, the true species being distinguished by the title of Cedrus baccifera, and the pines by that of Cedrus conifh-a. Of Juniperus, the dpiciv^oQ of the Greeks and ahhnl of the Arabs, there are several species in Syria. Of these, J. communis, the common juniper, is a very widely diffused species, being found in Europe and Asia, iu the plains of northern and
JUNIPER
1096
JUNIPER
in the mountains of southern latitudes, usually forming a low shrub, but in some situations being fifteen feet, and even thirty feet high. J. oxycedrm, the shari^ or Itrickly, or brown-berried juniper, closely allied to the common juniper, is an evergreen shrub, from ten to twelve, but sometimes even twenty feet high. It was found by M. I5ove on Mount Lebanon. J. drujmcea, or large-friiited juniper, is a species which was introduced into Europe from the East under the Arabic name hab- hel. Tliis name, however, is applied rather to all the species than to any one in particular. It is a native of Mount Cassius. and is thought to be the same as the greater juniper found by Belon on Mount Taurus, which •he describes as rising "to the height of a cypress. J. Phamcea, or Phoenician juniper, is the great juniper of Dioscorides. and is a native of the south of Europe, Rus- sia, and SjTia. It has imbricated leaves, bears some re- semblance to the cjTJress, and attains a height of from twenty to thirty feet. J. Lycia, or Lycian j uniper, is a dwarf species, and J.Sabina, or the common Savine, is usuallv a low spreading shrub, but sometimes rises to the height of ten or twelve feet. It is a native of the south of Eurojie and Syria. Of these species, J. ori/- cedrus and J. Phanicea are the only species which could have been the lerush of Scripture. Some are of opinion tliat the wood of ./. oxycedrus, rather than that of the so-called cedar of Lebanon, is the cedar-wood so famed in ancient times for its durability, and which was there- fore employed in making statues. It is to the wood of certain species of juniper that the name of cedar-wood is now specially applied. See Cedar.
sun. The twigs are used for tying bundles, and all kinds of herbs that are brought to market are fastened
Genista Monosperma. together with them.
"^^^^
The Spaniards caU it retama, from the Arabic name retem. It is now referred by all botanists to the genus Genista, and called G. monosperma. It is described by De Candolle as a branch- ing and erect shrub, with slen- der, wandlike, flexible branches ; leaves comparatively few, linear, oblong, pressed to the branches, pubescent; inflorescence in few flowered lateral racemes; petals white, sUky, nearly equal to one another ; legumes oviil, inflated, smooth, membranaceous, one to two seeded. It occurs on the sterile shores of Portugal, Spain, Barbary, and Egypt. It was found by Forskal at Suez, and named by him Genista Spar- tiiim ? with 7-cet(fm as its Arabic name. Bove also found it at Suez, and again in different parts of Syria, Belon also mentions finding it in several places when travelling in the East. Burck- hardt also frequently mentions the shrub rethem in the deserts to the south of Palestine, and he Junipmis Phvmcm-yown'^ and old. (The ioniig tue is heie about three feet thought it to be the same plant ll *= ; !""<■' «;'^ " compact pyramidal form. It ,.fi^. ,vaid^ ^picuds, aud leaches a „„ .i,p Cpni^fn rwtn-m of Forskal heiglit of tifteen feet or more, as in the other specimens.) (renistn rcrtcem ot J^orsRai.
The rothpin, however, is i
I doubt the plant still called by the Arabs ntem, and commonly known as Spanish broom. In Loudon's Encydopadiu of Plants it is named Sparlinm monospermum, or white single-seeded broom, and is described as a very handsome shrub, remarkable for its numerous snow-white flowers. Osbcck remarks that it grows like willow-bushes along the shores of Spain, as far as the flying sands reach, where scarcely any other plant exists cxcejU the Ononis serpens, or creeping restharron: The use of this shrub is very great in stopi)ing the sand. The leaves and voung branches furnish delicious food for goats. It converts the most barren spot into a fine odoriferous garden by U» liowcrs, which continue a long time. It seems to Shelter hogs and goats against the scorchuig heat of the
as the Genista rcctmni of Forskal.