Category:Phytogeography of Morocco
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Morocco provides a refuge for a rich and diverse flora with about 4,500 taxa, of which 600 to 650 are endemic.The phytogeographic] zones of Morocco are 1. Lower Mediterranean Zone- coastal (0-500m) , Middle Mediterranean Zone -(500-1000m)and Upper Mediterranean Zone- (1000-1500m)
2 Cedar Zone- (1000-2000m)
3 Subalpine-(2000-2500m)
4 Alpine Zone-(2500m+)
5 Semi -desert scrub
6 Reg
7 Sandy Desert
8 Oases
1 MEDITERRANEAN OR COASTAL ZONE Maquis and Garrique
Characteristic plants: Pinus halepensis , Arbutus unedo, Pistacia lentiscus, Myrtus communis, Clematis cirrhosa, Asparagus acutifolius, Phlomis viscosa, Scilla autumnalis, Narcissis tazetta, Iris palaestina. Colchicum steveni, Arisarum vulgare, Pinus spp., Quercus macrolepis, Ceratonia siliqua, Pistacia atlantica,Crataegus azorollus, Amygdalus communis, Phamnus alaternus, Cistus spp.,Phlomis spp., Salvia spp.,Satureia spp.,Poterium spp.,Arabis spp.,Reseda spp., Aristolochia pallida, A. boetica, A longa paucinervis. A. fontanesi, A.rotunda Tropaeolum majus, Brassica spp.
The climax vegetation of the Mediterranean coast is a well developed maquis commonly associated with Clematis, Smilax, Lonicera and Asparagus. Except in innaccessible or protected places the vegetation has been heavily grazed by domestic animals and this degraded maquis ,called garrigue, is widespread.Poterium spinosum,various Salvia and Cistus are the dominant plants of the garrigue.Aprominent feature of the coastal vegetation is the presence of a large exotic flora :- Casuarina, Eucalyptus, Citrus, loquat and Opuntia ficus indica are examples.Several species of steppe Acacia are common elements.The cultivated area which is extensive is wholly artificial and imported plants dominate the landscape.The meadows,orchards and wetter places in the maquis support such plants as fennel,
2 THE CEDAR FORESTS A mere remnant of their former glory the cedar forests are still impressive covering large areas of the Middle Atlas.The dominant plant Cedrus libanoticus is peculiar to this zone along with Juniperinus foetidissima and a multitude of low plants:-Iberis odorata ciliata, taurica, Centaurea spp., Prunus amygdalus, P. persica, P. institia, P. longipes, Pyrus communis, Malus domestica, Crategus oxyacantha Sisymbrium spp.. Lunaria biennis Capparis spinosa, Raphanus raphanistrum. Isatis tinctoria continue There is a total lack of the oak dominated maquis of the Mediterranean zone and the lower limit of the zone of the Cedar is demonstrated by the lack of Berberis cretica.
3 THE SUB-ALPINE ZONE The disappearance of Cedrus libanoticus.and the presence of Onobrychis cornuta signal the beginning of the Sub-Alpine zone Characterised by the absence of trees most notably the fir and the cedar this is a montane habitat of some vigour.The dominant vegtation is pads of thorny Astragalus, Onobrychis (with cornuta as the most typical) and Acantholimon,interspersed with stands of Berberis cretica. Juniperus excelsa survives here and there.
4 THE ALPINE ZONE Alpine conditions are encountered above 2,500m. and the special features of high mountains are enhanced by the dryness of the climate.Typically the zone begins with the disappearance of Berberis, Marrubium and Phlomis and the appearance of Vicia canescens in enormous quantity.The most important botanical characteristic is the presence of a hundred or so plants found nowhere else in Morocco,many of them endemic.The Subalpine and Alpine zones are both heavily overgrazed in many areas and this has left a mark on the vegetation.The success of plants such as Vicia canescens and Erodium trichomanifolium is undoubtedly due to the fact that they are unpalatable to goats.
5/6/7 THE DESERT ZONES:-SEMI-DESERT SCRUB, REG AND SANDY DESERT
The Sahara desert is essentially a desert of herbs and small shrubs with larger shrubs and trees where moisture levels are higher.The dwarf-shrub community in the north comprises shrubs of less tha 1m. in height (usually about 50cm.)as dominants.The bushes are often widely spaced, with a considerable amount of bare stony ground between the clumps which gives the vegetation a very parched appearance in the summers.Typical plants are Ziyphyrus lotus Tamarix spp., Acacia spp., Zizyphyrus spina-cristae, Moringa aptera, Salvadora persica, Thymus spp., Artemesia herba-alpa, Noaea mucronata, Heliathemum spp.,Ratama retam, Periploca aphylla, Sueda spp.Salsola spp, Atriplex spp., Ephedre alta, Haloxylon articulatum, Pistacia atlantica, and Achillea santolina, In steppe areas where the scrub vegetation is hardly developed desert grasses of a multiplicity of species are the climax vegetation Ephemerals are common in the north,halophytes in the sandy areas.Succulent plants are uncommon.The sandy desert has virtually no vegetation. With rain vegetation increases in wadis ,de pressions and wherever runoff water augments rainfall.The soils of the Sahara are formed of rock debris and desert detritus and are very weakly developed. The characteristic species of these true desert areas which decrease as desert scrub becomes reg and then sandy desert are:-
Acacia albida, A.raddiana, A. seyal, A. tortilis,Achillea santolina, Anabasis aretoides, Aristoides coerulescens, A.pungens, Artemesia herba-alpa, A monosperma, Astagulus tribuloides, Atriplex halimus, Balenites aegyptiaca, Caligonum comosum, Caltropis procera, Cenchrus ciliaris, Citrullus colocynthis Danthonia forskalii, Ephedra alata, Euphorbia guyonianum,Deverra scopularia, D. chloranthus Linaria aegyptica Plantago media Annarhinum fruticosum Haloxylon guyonianum, Macrua crassifolia, Nerium oleander, Olea europea, Panicum turgidum, Phoenix dactylifera, Populus euphratica, Prosopis stephaniana, Retama retam, Rhus oxyacanthae, Roetboellia hirsuta, Salsola foetida, S.inermis, Salvadora persica, Sesili varium, Stipa tortilis, Suaeda fruticosa, S.vermiculata, Tamarix articulata, Zilla spinosa, Zizyphus lotus, Z.spinachrista, Zygophyllum coccineum, Z. decumbens, Z dumosum, and the caper bush.
8. RIVERS AND OASES
The larger rivers serve to spread the vegetation of the Mediterranean zone q.v. further south and allow the introduction of the plants of Africa to the north.Both rivers and oases support many anthropogenic species resembling in extreme cases tropical botanic gardens.
The zones were established by the International Phytogeographic Excursion of 1936.
[edit] References
Rübel, E. & Lüdi, W. (eds) (1936) Ergebnisse der Internationalen pflanzengeographischen Exkursion durch Marokko und Westalgerien 1936. Veröffentlichungen des Geobotanischen Institutes Rübel in Zürich ; 14
