Glossonema varians | UAE National Red List of Vascular Plants

Taxa
Glossonema varians | (Stocks) Benth. ex Hook.f.
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, this species occurs in the Hajar Mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003), the Ru'us al-Jibal mountains, the Wadi Wurayah National Park, and in the Olive Highlands (Feulner 2011, 2016). It has been recorded at altitudes up to 1,900 m (Feulner 2011). The estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) of this species is 5,714 km<sup>2</sup>. Individual records include the upper parts of Wadi Sfai (M. Tsaliki pers. comm. 2019). It has also been recorded from Jebel Hafeet and from the Al Ain area. Globally, this species occurs in the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Pakistan and India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).
Habitats and Ecology
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
No
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This is a perennial or annual succulent that grows up to 35 cm (Western 1992, Jongbloed et al. 2003). It produces purple flowers between February and May, in addition to characteristic pickle-shaped fruit, and grows among rocks, gravel plains, wadis and mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2016). When the plant is damaged, it secretes milky sap (latex) which is characteristic of Asciepiadaceae species (Western 1992). The species is considered to be a xerohalophyte i.e. a salt-tolerant desert species (Böer and Saenger 2006).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Near Threatened
Assessment status abreviation
NT
Assessment status criteria
D1
Assessment rationale/justification
This species is considered to be rare within its range and is often grazed to the point of visibly stunted growth. This may pose a significant threat to the species, however the full extent of this is still unclear. Although the species occurs in a National Park, it is important to draw attention to this potentially threatened and rare species. As a result, it is cautiously assessed as Vulnerable (D1) as a result of the small number of mature individuals, which is suspected to be close to or less than 1,000, but no reliable count has been made. It also has a restricted distribution (estimated EOO: 6,378 km<sup>2</sup>). The species occurs in adjacent parts of Oman and the seed is wind-dispersed, therefore the assessment is revised down by one category to Near Threatened.
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
This species is may be difficult to identify as the plant is often grazed to the point of a very stunted growth form (Western 1992) and fruits are consumed by people.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Further information
History
The situation is not thought to have changed for this species since 1996.
Scientific Name Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Glossonema varians Plantae Tracheophyta Magnoliopsida Gentianales Apocynaceae Glossonema