First report of an exceptional monoecious type of Pistacia atlantica ssp. atlantica in Algeria (North Africa)

Abstract

The Pistachio Atlas tree ( Pistacia atlantica Desf.) is a dioecious specie that belongs to the Anacardiaceae family. Recently, some researchers have found a monoecious species which belongs to this family in Turkey ( P. atlantica Desf.), ( P. terebinthus L.), Bulgaria and China ( P. Chinensis ). No study has reported the case of monoecious species in Pistacia atlantica Desf. in North Africa. However, our research describes for the first time the phenomen on that takes place in Algeria. During our observation, the tree exhibited seeds and a vestige of pistillate inflorescence. In general, pollen shedding started in staminate clusters as vegetative buds broke. Cluster distribution of both sexes on the tree appeared highly complex and variable. This discovery also proves that there are subjects of this species - a monoecious species - in northern Africa and especially in Rechaiga, Tiaret.