martinez spruce was only discovered in 1981, and is critically endangered with just two small populations, comprising a few hundred trees and a dozen trees respectively. fossil evidence shows it had a wider distribution in the past, south to central mexico. it is related to chihuahua spruce from northwest mexico, but differs in the longer, green leaves, and the larger, broader cones with larger scales. no other related spruces are found in north america, with its next-closest relatives in eastern asia.