| Summary: | Several studies have been conducted in the past to clarify various aspects of species in the genus <i>Juniperus</i> L. One critical group is <i>Juniperus oxycedrus</i> L., especially from the taxonomical point of view. For this reason, we have studied the ecology, taxonomy and distribution of the taxa in the <i>J. oxycedrus</i> group. From an ecological and distribution standpoint, in this work we use the ombroedaphoxeric index (Ioex) to explain the presence of <i>Juniperus</i> populations in ombrotypes that are not optimum for these taxa. The controversy over the taxonomy of <i>J. oxycedrus</i> subsp. <i>badia</i> (H. Gay) Debeaux and <i>J. oxycedrus</i> subsp. <i>lagunae</i> (Pau ex C. Vicioso) Rivas Mart. is clarified, and it is accepted as a valid name, <i>J. oxycedrus</i> subsp. <i>badia</i>. The phytochemical differences in essential oils (EO) are addressed and their similarities analyzed; greater similarities are observed between <i>oxycedrus</i> and <i>badia</i>, and between <i>navicularis</i> Gand. and <i>macrocarpa</i> (Sm.) Ball. species. The phytochemical, molecular and distribution differences allow <i>J. oxycedrus</i> subsp. <i>macrocarpa</i> (Sm.) Ball and <i>J. navicularis</i> Gand. to be maintained as species. The results obtained make it possible to establish the rank to which the taxa belong and allow clear discrimination between species in groups that are difficult to interpret. Ecological, bioclimatic, phytochemical and morphometric similarities allow us to subordinate the subsp. <i>macrocarpa</i> to the species <i>J. navicularis</i>.
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