Juniper tree ("Juniperus phoenicea") is applied in dotted patterns on bisque drinking cups. Gitran makes the water more fragrant and is said to be good for the teeth. Some Indigenous peoples, such as the Dineh, have traditionally used juniper for diabetes. Native Americans have also used juniper berries as a female contraceptive. The 17th Century herbalist physician Nicholas Culpeper recommended the ripened berries for conditions such as asthma and sciatica, as well as to speed childbirth. The plant was long used as an arbortifacient and was known as 'bastard killer' in the UK. Juniper is one of the plants used in
Sayan montane conifer forests 1,400 meters) if dominated by Abies sibirica (Siberian fir) and stands of Pinus sibirica (Siberian pine) and Picea obovata (Siberian spruce). The 'Dark taiga' zone (600 meters to 900 meters) has the same trees as the middle sub-zone, but more vertically developed shrub and grass layers, and richer soil. Over 800 species of flora are recorded in the ecoregion. The federally protected areas in the region are: Sayan montane conifer forests The Sayan montane conifer forests ecoregion (WWF ID:PA0519) covers the mid-elevation levels of the Sayan Mountains, the high mountain range between the taiga of Siberia, Russia to the north,