Diversity and Adaptation of Perennial Plants From North Africa: Legumes and Grasses

A variety of climates, soil types and reliefs characterise North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia). These natural conditions have produced a large diversity of environments, landscapes, plant formations and flora. Several factors have contributed to the spread of a wide floristic variety: the influence of the Mediterranean in the north and in the north-east, the Atlantic in the west, and the Sahara in the south, as well as the presence of mountain ranges, particularly the Rif, the Tell Atlas, the Sahara Atlas, the Middle Atlas, the High Atlas, and the Anti-Atlas. This diversity of landscapes, environments and ecosystems has generated many different agricultural and breeding practices. Ranges as well as ecosystems favouring animal breeding constitute the most important formations and occupy the largest areas. Climatic factors, especially rainfall and temperature in the growth period, are the most important limitations to the production of high quality forage and/or pasture. This paper describes the floristic diversity of perennial herbaceous legumes and grasses, and their particularities, place and importance in agriculture in the region