The evergreen shrub _Capparis spinosa_ has the largest leaves of
any plant native to the Ghardaia region, and probably of southern
Algeria. Its leaves are bilateral and nearly round and are placed
upright on the branches; a series of 29 leaves from one branch 33
cm. long varied from 2 to 3.2 cm. in length and slightly less in
width, the average being, length 2.9 cm., breadth 2.2 cm.
_Euphorbia guyoniana_ has a deciduous leaf-habit. Its leaves are
rather small but numerous. A shoot 22 cm. long bore 40 leaves
varying in length from 1.5 to 2.1 cm. and in breadth from 1.2 to
2.0 mm., with the average length and average breadth 1.7 cm. and
1.6 mm. respectively.
It is worth noting that the surface of the leaves, as shown by
inspection, is, possibly, most often smooth, as, for example, in
_Capparis_, _Henophyton_, and _Haloxylon_. Dense hairiness is an
exception among the species seen, _Lithospermum callosum_ being
the only plant striking in this regard.
GROWTH AND FLOWERING HABITS IN THE GHARDAIA REGION.
Upon arriving at Ghardaia in November, it was surprising to find
several species of perennials, under strictly desert conditions,
putting on new growth, forming fresh leaves, or coming into
flower. Especially was this unexpected in view of the fact that
no rain had fallen in the region for twelve months. A study of the
roots in relation to the depth to water showed also that most of the
native plants, during the dry season, could not have penetrated to
a depth anywhere near that of the water-table of the valley, and the
water relations of the plants growing on the plain above the M’Zab
Valley were even more severe. Further, most of the species do not
possess water-storage faculty. It should be noted that the only
apparent difference in the water relation between November and in
early autumn, or summer, was that of raising the relative humidity
of the air through the lower temperature. In a preceding section it
has been stated that little or no evaporation took place at night
in November at Ghardaia, and possibly less in the daytime than
would have been supposed. The leading environmental changes were,
of course, the lower daily temperature and the really cool nights.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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