Rapport sur un voyage botanique en Algérie, de Philippeville à Biskra et dans les Monts Aurès, entrepris en 1853 sous le patronage du Ministère de la guerre

In the summer of 1853 a French botanist sets out from the Mediterranean port of Philippeville for an expedition across Algeria, ending in the oasis of Biskra and the rugged Aurès mountains. Backed by the Ministry of War, the team moves with military escorts and local guides, allowing scientific work to proceed in remote terrain. The travelogue blends vivid landscape description with careful notes on the region’s vegetation.

The journey traverses three zones: the already‑mapped coastal strip, the scarcely explored high plateaus where unusual herbs appear, and the arid Sahara around Biskra rich in desert succulents. Collaborators such as Balansa, Jamin and the interpreter Hénon supply specimens and local knowledge, adding anecdotes of discovery and the hardships of fieldwork. As they climb the Aurès, they encounter several plants unknown to science, hinting at the untapped botanical wealth of Algeria’s highest peaks.