Rock communities in the Bokkoya Mountains (Coastal region of the Central Rif, Morocco)

Abstract

The coastal limestone massif of the Central Rif Mountains, the Bokkoya, is the driest part of the Moroccan mediterranean coast. After a brief introduction of its physical and phytochorological conditions, the rock communities are described in an phytosociological approach. The northern exposed cliffs are covered by the Sedo wilczekiani-Soncheium masguindalii ass. nov., which is endemic in the subsector Nekor-Bokkoya of the phytochorological sector Nekor-Triffa. On southern slopes, we observe other fragmentary groups of he Poterion ancistroidis. Shady and nitrified rock fissures are colonized by the Mercurialis ambigua- Theligonum cynocrambe community, holders by Succowia balearica. In halve caves there grow Sarcocapnos enneaphylla populations. The contact series are illustrated. A syntaxonomical scheme is given for the rock communities of Northern Morocco. Finally, the associations and their vicariants are discussed in the Westmediterranean context.