Geographical Reviews: The Vegetation of Algeria and Tunisia

Summary

This study synthesizes two companion publications describing the vegetation of Algeria and Tunis, both utilizing the same colored phytogeographic map prepared by Professor Maire with the assistance of Battandier, G. Lapie, P. de Peyerimhoff, and Dr. Trabut. The first publication provides a concise overview of the vegetation, accompanied by 13 half-tone photographs and four colored profiles that mirror the map’s scheme to illustrate the physiognomy of principal formations. The second volume offers a more detailed account, supplemented by 60 illustrations of individual plant species. The vegetation is classified into three natural subdivisions shaped by climatic and topographic gradients. The coastal region, receiving 400–1600 mm of annual rainfall but enduring a warm dry season of 4–5 months, supports forests dominated by evergreen oaks (Quercus ilex and Q. suber) and deciduous oaks (Q. lusitanica and Q. afares), together with olive, elm, ash, alder, and poplar. At middle elevations within 100 km of the sea, forests of Pinus halepensis prevail, with smaller stands of Pinus pinaster along the coast and Cedrus atlantica on the highest peaks. Adjacent to the Sahara, open woodlands of Quercus ilex and P. halepensis occur on certain mountain ranges, while lower slopes are characterized by extensive stands of the arborescent juniper Juniperus phoenicea. The conifer Callitris articulata is abundant in western Algeria and scattered in Tunis. Inland steppes, with roughly 200 mm of annual rainfall, separate the forested zone from true desert. This vegetation mapping effort integrates field observation, cartography, and detailed floristic illustration to document the phytogeographic patterns of the region.