20 BOTANICAL FEATURES OF THE ALGERIAN SAHARA. 



first characterized, with widely reaching lower branches and slender sum- 

 mits. In exposed places or in older parts of the forest the trees of the 

 second type were often seen; and on the crest of the mountain the most 

 bizarre shapes (induced by wind action), the trunks nearly parallel to the 

 ground and the branches hugging the ground. In the upper portion of 

 the forest the trees were more widely separated than in the lower portion, 

 and here and there we met with really large specimens, which must have 

 been very ancient. One of the large trees had a bole which i meter above 

 the ground was about 5 meters in circumference. The trees were fruiting 

 freely, but we did not see many seedHngs. Why, was not apparent. There 

 were no indications that fires had swept over the mountain recently. 



THE HIGH PLATEAU. 



The vegetation of the High Plateau, taken as a whole, is sparse, due in 

 part to rather light annual precipitation, but largely to the lack of efficient 

 drainage, for which reason large areas are so heavily charged with salts as 

 to be inimical to most plants. Halophytes form an important element in 

 the flora of this region. In the most intense salt areas no plants are to be 

 found at any season. Along the oueds such shiiibs as species of Tamarix 

 and Zizyphus occur, and juniper may be seen in the more elevated places, 

 such as near Guelt-es-Stel or further toward Djelfa. 



The route followed across the High Plateau ran from Boghari to Ain 

 Ossera, Guelt-es-Stel, and Djelfa, which is in the midst of the Saharan 

 Atlas, and from thence to Laghouat. 



BOGHARI TO LAGHOUAT. 



Boghari, situated at the place where the Oued Chehf, having come across 

 the High Plateau, enters the Tellian Atlas on its way through them to the 

 Mediterranean, lies on the northern edge of the High Plateau and in what 

 appears to be a fairly arid region. The oued at this place is rather narrow 

 and has low banks. In its bed, in October, were a few pools of water. On 

 either side is the flood-plain of the oued, several meters in width, sometimes 

 partly under cultivation. Tilled fields are to be seen to the west and not 

 far from the town. From the low mountains immediately to the west of the 

 town the steppes stretch unbroken (save by low hills) to mountains bound- 

 ing the southern horizon, possibly 100 miles straight away. The mountains 

 are the Dj. Sahari, the Saharan Atlas, beyond which lies the desert. 



The vegetation in the neighborhood of Boghari is at present meager in 

 amount and of small size. Along the banks of the Chelif are a few tama- 

 risks, and on the plain not far from the oued are a few specimens of Zizy- 

 phus vulgaris and Pistacia lentiscus and other low-growing shrubs. Owing 

 to the large number of sheep, goats, and camels which are driven through 

 the pass of the Chelif, or which are kept in the neighborhood by their 

 Boghari owners, few plants thereabouts fail to exhibit indications of being 



