Mediterranean Woodlands and Forests - Flora

Flora

The natural vegetation consists of forests, woodlands, and shrublands. The five chief plant communities are:

• Xeric pine forests and woodlands: The xeric pine forests are found mainly in the drier interior, near the transition to the Mediterranean dry woodlands and steppe, where rainfall averages 300 to 600 mm per year. The predominant tree is Aleppo Pine—(Pinus halepensis). It is often found in mixed stands with evergreen Holm Oak—(Quercus ilex spp.) (Quercus ilex subsp. ballota) and xeric junipers (Juniperus phoenicea and Juniperus oxycedrus). The forests and woodlands have an understory of shrubs, including Cistus, Genista, and rosemary, which also form pockets of shrubland.
• Berber Thuya forests and woodlands: These forests and woodlands are found in the milder lowlands of northern Morocco, western coastal Algeria, and pockets in the coastal mountains in northwestern Tunisia, typically on soils derived from limestone. They are characterized by Berber Thuya—(Tetraclinis articulata), a conifer that can form coppice woodlands. The understory is chiefly of shrubs.
• Cork Oak forests: are found in low and medium elevations with mild winters and relatively high rainfall (600 to 800 mm), often on soils formed over siliceous rocks. Cork Oak—(Quercus suber) forests are found on the coastal plains between Casablanca and the Rif Mountains in northern Morocco, and several areas further inland around the Rif and Middle Atlas ranges. They also found on along the Tell Atlas of northern Algeria, and in the Kroumerie and Mogod mountain ranges of northwestern Tunisia.
  Cork Oak (Quercus suber) is the predominant tree, accompanied by a rich mix of evergreen small trees and large shrubs, including Bay Laurel - (Laurus nobilis), Strawberry Tree - (Arbutus unedo), Tree Heath—(Erica arborea), Holly—(Ilex aquifolium), Phillyrea spp. (Phillyrea angustifolia and Phillyrea latifolia), Laurustinus—(Viburnum tinus), Hairy Broom—(Cytisus villosus), and Common Myrtle—(Myrtus communis).

• Holm Oak and Kermes Oak forests and woodlands: forests, woodlands, and shrublands of Holm Oak—(Quercus ilex) and Kermes Oak—(Quercus coccifera) are the most widespread plant community, found from the coast to the mountains on a variety of climates and soils. Holm Oak forests formerly found in lowland areas with deep and humid soils have mostly been displaced by agriculture.
• Wild Olive and Carob woodlands and maquis: open woodlands of wild Olive—(Olea europaea spp.) (Olea europaea europaea and Olea europaea maroccana), and Carob—(Ceratonia siliqua) once covered lowland areas with deep, drier soils, but these areas have mostly been converted to agriculture. The remaining wild olive and carob woodlands have been transformed by fire, grazing, and firewood collection into maquis shrublands. Wild olives have also been displaced by cultivated varieties to produce olive oil, and carob is harvested for fodder.