Cressa cretica | UAE National Red List of Vascular Plants

Taxa
Cressa cretica | L.
Location
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Scope (Assessment)
National
Taxon
Taxonomic Group
Plants
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Flowering Plants
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
In the UAE, Jongbloed et al. (2003) reported a small number of isolated localities in coastal or near-coastal areas of the Ajman, Dubai and Abu Dhabi emirates. More recent records suggest a more frequent and widespread distribution, and Karim and Dhakeel (2006) give the distribution as Abu Dhabi (e.g., Sila, Tarif), Dubai, Fujairah, and Umm al-Qaiwain. In Ra's al-Khaimah, Feulner (2011) reported the species from, or adjacent to, salt marshes north of Rams and Llewellyn-Smith (2011) recorded the species at the Khor Hulaylah coastal wetland complex. Sakkir and Brown (2014) found the species at Jebel Hafeet, but comment that the species has been introduced to the area through human disturbance and benefits from irrigated agriculture. Globally, this species occurs throughout the Mediterranean, east through western and central Asia, to India and south to northern and central Africa, as well as South America, Australia and parts of Southeast Asia. There is no information on whether some of these populations may be non-native. In the Arabian Peninsula, this species occurs throughout coastal areas in the region, and locally inland in Oman.
Habitats and Ecology
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
No
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This salt-tolerant perennial species is found in sand, plantations and gardens, in addition to around sabkhas or salt marshes (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Karim and Dhakeel 2006). It grows as a weed in cultivated areas (Karim and Dhakeel 2006). G. Brown (pers. comm. 2019) considers the main habitat to be saline soils (margins of sabkha), but also gardens.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Least Concern
Assessment status abreviation
LC
Assessment rationale/justification
The species is widespread in the UAE and, although subpopulations are likely to have been impacted by coastal development, the species is considered Least Concern.
About the assessment
Assessment year
2019
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1 + Regional Guidelines v4.0
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
Impacts from coastal development are likely to have been significant for this species.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Scientific Name Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Cressa cretica Plantae Tracheophyta Magnoliopsida Solanales Convolvulaceae Cressa