''Juniperus turbinata'' is a woody plant in the family

Cupressaceae Cupressaceae is a conifer family, the cypress family, with worldwide distribution. The family includes 27–30 genera (17 monotypic), which include the junipers and redwoods, with about 130–140 species in total. They are monoecious, subdio ...

. The species was previously treated as part of ''

Juniperus phoenicea ''Juniperus phoenicea'', the Phoenicean juniper or Arâr, is a juniper found throughout the Mediterranean region. Description ''Juniperus phoenicea'' is a large shrub or small tree reaching tall, with a trunk up to in diameter and a rounded o ...

'', which is now regarded as restricted to

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, whereas ''J. turbinata'' is found from Macaronesia throughout the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...

to the

Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate ...

Description

''Juniperus turbinata'' resembles '' J. phoenicea''. It is a shrub or small tree up to in height. The smaller branches have reddish bark. The adult

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

are scale-like, closely pressed to the twigs. Pollen is produced in the autumn (October to November), rather than in spring as in ''J. phoenicea''. The seed cones are long (longer than in ''J. phoenicea''), and somewhat elongated, especially when immature. Each cone typically has 7–9 seeds (fewer than ''J. phoenicea'').

Taxonomy

''J. turbinata'' was first described by Giovanni Gussone in 1844. It has been treated as a variety or

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

of ''J. phoenicea''. Plants occurring in the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...

have been treated as the separate species ''J. canariensis''. DNA from populations previously assigned to ''J. phoenicea'' var. ''phoenicea'' and ''J. phoenicea'' var. ''turbinata'' was studied, and the results were published in 2013. It was found that the two taxa were clearly separated, and hence best treated as two species. No significant difference was found between Canary Island populations and other populations of ''J. turbinata''.

Distribution and habitat

''J. turbinata'' has a native distribution from Macaronesia throughout the

to the

. It is known from southwestern and southeastern Europe, North Africa, the

and

Madeira ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...

, and parts of western Asia (

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...

, the east Aegean Islands,

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...

and

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

, the region of Palestine, the

Sinai Peninsula The Sinai Peninsula, or simply Sinai (now usually ) (, , cop, Ⲥⲓⲛⲁ), is a peninsula in Egypt, and the only part of the country located in Asia. It is between the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the south, and is a l ...

) and northwestern

(

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...

). It favours soils that are composed of sand, Cambrian limestone or volcanic rock.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3811306 turbinata Flora of Southwestern Europe Flora of Southeastern Europe Flora of North Africa Flora of the Canary Islands Flora of Madeira Flora of Western Asia Flora of Saudi Arabia Plants described in 1844