Vachellia tortilis | UAE National Red List of Vascular Plants

Taxa
Vachellia tortilis | (Forssk.) Galasso & Banfi
Publication
UAE National Red List of Vascular Plants
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
This species is widespread in the eastern part of the country (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011). The native range is from Uganda to Egypt, through Sinai to the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).
Habitats and Ecology
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
No
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The species is found on gravel and sand plains, wadi banks, mountain slopes and mountain plains up to medium elevations (Jongbloed et al. 2003). G.R Feulner (in litt, MEW 2010) considered the primary habitats to be gravel plains and foothills. It generally grows as a tree up to 4-6(-12) m, with a single stem or several branching stems (Jongbloed et al. 2003), although it can grow to 21 m in height in parts of its range (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). Vachellia tortilis flowers from spring until early summer (April to June; DDCR 2019). The species occurs to c. 1,350 m asl in the Ru'us al-Jibal, however it is considered uncommon above 800 m except in association with cultivation (Feulner 2011).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Least Concern
Assessment status abreviation
LC
Assessment rationale/justification
This species is widespread in the eastern parts of the UAE and introduced elsewhere as a landscape and afforestation tree. It is assessed as Least Concern, however the impact of grazing requires confirmation.
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
Uncontrolled grazing impacts the species, however the scale and impact of this threat is not known. G.R. Feulner (in litt, MEW 2010) noted that there is no generation in most areas due to severe grazing.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Scientific Name Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Vachellia tortilis Plantae Tracheophyta Magnoliopsida Fabales Fabaceae Vachellia