''Juniperus deltoides'' (syn. ''Juniperus oxycedrus'' subsp. ''deltoides''), the Eastern prickly juniper, is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

juniper Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' ( ) of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere as far south ...

native to the

eastern Mediterranean The Eastern Mediterranean is a loosely delimited region comprising the easternmost portion of the Mediterranean Sea, and well as the adjoining land—often defined as the countries around the Levantine Sea. It includes the southern half of Turkey ...

. Although it is sometimes considered a

subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...

of ''

Juniperus oxycedrus ''Juniperus oxycedrus'', vernacularly called Cade, cade juniper, prickly juniper, prickly cedar, or sharp cedar, is a species of juniper, native across the Mediterranean region, growing on a variety of rocky sites from sea level. The specific ep ...

'',Farjon, A. (2005). ''Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopitys''. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. phylogenetic studies have found the two are not closely related.Adams, R. P. (2000). Systematics of ''Juniperus'' section ''Juniperus'' based on leaf essential oils and RAPD DNA fingerprinting. ''Biochem. Syst. Ecol''. 28: 515-52
available online (pdf file)
Adams, R. P. (2004). ''Juniperus deltoides'', a new species and nomenclatural notes on ''Juniperus polycarpos'' and ''J. turcomanica'' (Cupressaceae). ''Phytologia'' 86: 49 - 5
available online (pdf file)

References

{{Taxonbar, from= Q1713598 deltoides Trees of Mediterranean climate Plants described in 2004