Juniperus tairukouensis
Taroko juniper, 太魯閣圓柏 [Chinese].
Type: Taiwan, Hulien county，Xiulin Township (秀林鄉)，Tairuhou (太魯閣), 360 m elevation, S. S. Ying s.n., May 30, 2020 (holotype, NTUF).
This taxon, which appears to be a member of Juniperus section Juniperus, is so newly-described that there is no information about it other than what appears in the original description (Ying 2020), which is limited to a brief morphological description and a little habitat information. That habitat information is important, though, as the only junipers known to be native in Taiwan are J. formosana, J. morrisonicola, and J. tsukusiensis, all of which are restricted to high mountain environments at elevations of over 2000 m. J. tairukouensis has only been found at elevations of 250-450 m. However, it closely resembles J. formosana var. concolor Hayata (1918), which was discovered near sea level at a locality that has since been extirpated; no extant occurrences are confirmed. Ying (2020) does not really present much evidence to suggest that J. tairukouensis is not synonymous with J. formosana var. concolor. However, there is also not much evidence to indicate that J. formosana var. concolor is in fact sister to typical J. formosana, and this is why I have chosen to accept this species as provisionally valid (as does POWO). More study is clearly needed.
Evergreen shrubs about 50-250 cm tall, trunk short, dark gray, smooth, glabrous, much branched; branches erect to ascending, dark red or brown to green, glabrous. Leaves 3-verticillate, rarely alternate to opposite, linear-lanceolate to linear, 6-12 × 1-1.5 mm, acute at apex, truncate and swollen at base, coriaceous, adaxial surface with 2 whitish stomatal bands separated by a green midvein, abaxial surface lustrous green, midvein slightly elevated on both surfaces. Pollen cones axillary, ament-like, cylindic, 4-6 × 1 mm, red-brown, with several bracts at base; bracts triangular, 2-3 × 1.5 mm, acute at base, truncate at base; 5-6 pairs of sporophylls, each sporophyll with 6 pollen sacs. Seed cones axillary, often solitary, at maturity globose, 5-6 mm in diameter, green to yellowish, with 1-2 protuberance on surfaces, dent not obvious at apex (Ying 2020). Ying (2020) also provides several good color photographs.
Taiwan: "Juniperus tairukouensis grows on limestone cliffs along river sides of Li-Wu River (立霧溪), on a distance between 170 and 175 kilometers, Central Cross-lsland Highway. ... It is known from limestone cliffs along river sides of Li-Wu River (立霧溪)，Hualien county，eastern Taiwan。 It was collected on cliffs of river sides，at elevations between 250 and 450 meters."
With only a single known locality, it is not possible to assess the species' conservation status, but clearly it is extremely rare and warrants investigation to assess population status and possible threats.
No data as of 2025.01.12.
No data as of 2025.01.12.
No data as of 2025.01.12.
The epithet likely acknowledges the species' occurrence in the Taroko Gorge of Taiwan, but the name Taroko is also applied to the larger geographic area where the gorge occurs, and to the people who are indigenous to that area.
Ying Shao-shun. 2020. 新植物及新名稱 (NEW TAXA & NEW NAMES), V.3, pp. 1-13.
Last Modified 2025-01-12
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