Résumé
Olea europaea subsp. laperrinei (Batt. & Trabut) Cif., is an endemic species of Ahaggar (Hoggar) and Tassili N'ajjer in southern Algeria, with powerful adaptation against harsh conditions. Several genetic and phylogenetic studies have been done on this taxon, offering awareness on its reproductive methods and its use as a genetic resource of the cultivated olive, but no attention was given to the ontogenesis and zygotic embryogenesis for this centenary desert plant. This work is focuses particularly on the morphology of the flower followed by the analysis of the cytological and histological changes during early zygotic embryogenesis, with the aim to identify and characterize gametophytes playing a role in this process. The results of this investigation showed different types of flowers as well as imperfections in the female gametophyte that is often absent or without nuclei in this species. These particular observations could be considered as adaptation behaviour of this plant relic against arid conditions.