Juniperus L.
Genus composed of about 75 species across temperate and colder areas of the Northern Hemisphere. In North Africa, this genus is represented by 5 species of Mediterranean distribution and of very uneven abundance: J. communis and J. sabina only have a few scattered and very localised populations, while J. thurifera and especially J. oxycedrus and J. turbinata are common and even locally abundant.
Adams, R.P. (ed). 2014. Junipers of the world: The genus Juniperus. Trafford publishing, Vancouver. 415 pp.
Adams, R.P., Boratynski, A., Arista, M., Schwarzbach, A.E., Leschner, H., Liber, Z., Minissale, P., Mataraci, T. & Manolis. A. 2013. Analysis of Juniperus phoenicea from throughout its range in the Mediterranean using DNA sequence data from nrDNA and petN-psbM: the case for the recognition of J. turbinata Guss. Phytologia 95: 202-209.
Boratyński, A., Jasińska, A.K., Marcysiak, K., Mazur, M., Romo, A.M., Boratyńska, K., Sobierajska, K. & Iszkuło, G. 2013. Morphological differentiation supports the genetic pattern of the geographic structure of Juniperus thurifera (Cupressaceae). Pl. Syst. Evol. 299(4): 773-784.
Lebreton P., & Pérez de Paz P.L. 2001. Définition du Genévrier de Phénicie (Juniperus aggr. phoenicea), reconsidéré à ses limites biogéographiques: Méditerranée orientale (Crète et Chypre) et Atlantique (Iles Canaries). Bulletin mensuel de la Société linnéenne de Lyon 70(4): 73–92.
Mazur, M., Boratynska, K., Marcysiak, K., Gomez, D. Tomaszewski, D., Didukh, J. & Boratynski, A. 2003. Morphological variability of Juniperus phoenicea (Cupressaceae) from three distant localities on the Iberian peninsula. Act. Soc. Bot. Poloniae 72: 71-78.
Mazur, M., Minissale, P., Sciandrello, S. & Boratyński, A. 2015. Morphological and ecological comparison of populations of Juniperus turbinata Guss. and J. phoenicea L. from the Mediterranean region. Plant Biosystems 150: 313-322.
Rhanem M. 2016. Compléments à la distribution et au statut de relique geomorphologique de Juniperus communis L. au Maroc à la lumière de la découverte d’un géomorphosite remarquable sur le Mont Massker. Evaxiana 2: 23-41.
Key to species
1 Leaves always acicular, spiky. Galbuli axillary 2
1 Leaves in the first years acicular, then squamiform. Galbuli terminal 3
2 Upper side of the leaf blade with 2 white narrow, longitudinal bands separated by a green midrib. Galbuli red Juniperus oxycedrus
2 Upper side of the leaf blade with 1 single white broad, longitudinal band. Galbuli black-blue Juniperus communis
3 Margins of the squamiform leaves scarious. Galbuli red Juniperus turbinata
3 Leaf margin not scarious. Galbuli brown-blackish or bluish 4
4 Dwarf bush, creeping, generally not more than 1 m high. Galbuli 4-6 mm Juniperus sabina
4 Sturdy tree. Galbuli 6-8mm Juniperus thurifera