Running across country are the Bou Rhezal Mountains, of which
the north and south faces were examined in one or two places, on
each side somewhat in detail. The south face is precipitous and
has little vegetation, but there are many plants on the opposite
face, especially near the base, where the soil conditions are
relatively favorable (fig. 84). Among the perennials were found a
few specimens of _Rhus oxyacantha_ and _Zizyphus lotus_, which,
although dwarfed, were the largest plants seen away from the
oasis, being about 1.5 meters high. In another gulch were found the
following species: _Acanthyllis tragacanthoides_, _Dæmia cordata_,
_Ferula vesceritensis_, _Haloxylon scoparium_, and other plants
unknown. Toward the upper portions of the gulches _Haloxylon_ was
seen to be especially abundant, but in the bed of the washes and on
their flood-plains _Peganum_ grows in large numbers (fig. 83). In
the most favorable places on the northern slope in March the annuals
were the most abundant observed in the vicinity of Biskra, although
even there they failed to completely conceal the ground. Where the
situation was less favorable as regards soil and water conditions
(for example, on the side of the gulches, on the summit of ridges,
and the like) there were almost no annuals and those present were
relatively small.
In this brief account of some of the most striking features of
the Biskra flora it should be noted that several habitats are
omitted as not being pertinent to the points in view. Especially,
nothing has been said regarding the flora of the salt flats along
the Oued el Hamman or that of the dunes, since the influences here
are largely edaphic, while the present interest lies mainly in the
relation between plants and climate; and the flora of the oasis
has been largely neglected for similar reasons.
Not only is there in certain regards a larger number of plants
in the Biskra region than had been previously seen in southern
Algeria, but there are certain types, mostly new, which point to
more favorable conditions of plant life. These are such forms as
have a water-storage habit, like _Asphodelus_, _Ferula_, _Plantago_,
and _Phelypæa_, which, although not wholly absent farther south,
appear to be much more numerous near Biskra. The presence of bulbous
plants is well known as being one of the floral characteristics
of the High Plateau, and it is also known that similar forms are
not to be found where the arid conditions are the most severe,
which probably accounts for the facts noted. It may be pointed
out also that plants at Biskra exhibit exposure preference where
soil conditions appear to be parallel. This condition is not so
marked farther in the desert as at Ghardaia, for example, where,
provided there is sufficient depth of soil, apparently any species
may be found on any exposure. In other words, exposure preference
implies a certain amount of water as well as sufficient soil.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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