Juniperus turbinata is a woody plant in the family Cupressaceae.[2] The species was previously treated as part of Juniperus phoenicea, which is now regarded as restricted to Spain and France, whereas J. turbinata is found from Macaronesia throughout the Mediterranean to the Arabian Peninsula.
Juniperus turbinata resembles J. phoenicea. It is a shrub or small tree up to 8 metres (26 feet) in height. The smaller branches have reddish bark. The adult leaves 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 7–11 millimetres (1⁄4–3⁄8 inch) long (longer than in J. phoenicea), and somewhat elongated, especially when immature. Each cone typically has 7–9 seeds (fewer than J. phoenicea).[3][4]
Foliage and cones
In maquis shrubland habitat
J. turbinata was first described by Giovanni Gussone in 1844. It has been treated as a variety or subspecies of J. phoenicea.[2] Plants occurring in the Canary Islands have been treated as the separate species J. canariensis.[4][2] 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.[3]
J. turbinata has a native distribution from Macaronesia throughout the Mediterranean to the Arabian Peninsula. It is known from southwestern and southeastern Europe, North Africa, the Canary Islands and Madeira, and parts of western Asia (Cyprus, the east Aegean Islands, Lebanon and Syria, the region of Palestine, the Sinai Peninsula) and northwestern Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia).[2] It favours soils that are composed of sand, Cambrian limestone or volcanic rock.[3]
Juniperus turbinata is a woody plant in the family Cupressaceae. The species was previously treated as part of Juniperus phoenicea, which is now regarded as restricted to Spain and France, whereas J. turbinata is found from Macaronesia throughout the Mediterranean to the Arabian Peninsula.
