Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Location and scope
Specific locality or subnational name or regional name
United Arab Emirates (the)
Scope (of the Assessment)
National
Countries included within the scope of the assessment
United Arab Emirates (the)
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Not_assigned
Conservation Status
Assessed as
Least Concern
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This species is locally common along the Arabian Gulf coast in suitable habitat and has also been recorded from some inland sites, and with a record from Kalba on the east coast that requires confirmation. The extent of occurrence (EOO) exceeds 20,000 km<sup>2</sup>, although the area of occupancy (AOO) cannot be estimated as too few locality data are available, and the continued presence of some coastal subpopulations requires confirmation due to extensive coastal development. The species is water-dependent (freshwater, but also brackish) and may also be impacted by water abstraction and long term climatic change. The species is assessed at present as Least Concern as the number of locations exceeds ten and there is no information to support a level of population decline such as to qualify for a threatened category, however, ongoing monitoring is required, and the species should be reassessed if population trend data become available.
Assessment details
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Criteria system used
IUCN
Reference for methods given
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.
Further information
Endemism (according to assessment)
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
This species is locally common along the Arabian Gulf coast in suitable habitat in Abu Dhabi Emirate (Al Mehairbi et al. 2019) and has also been recorded from the Hatta pools (Jongbloed et al. 2003), although the continued presence of some coastal subpopulations requires confirmation due to extensive coastal development. Feulner (2011) recorded the species from coastal parts of northern Ras al-Khaimah. There are also records from the western slopes of the Hajar Mountains (Al Qasheesh Dam, Ras al-Khaimah; Sharjah Seedbank & Herbarium) and from the east coast at Kalba (1994, <a href=""http://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00398627"">RBGE Herbarium</a>); the latter record at least requires confirmation, and may no longer be extant. The species has a wide distribution in the tropics and subtropics, including Africa, southern Europe, the Americas, Australia and parts of Asia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This is a perennial rush-like plant species with many stems rising from creeping rhizomes (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It is found near or in fresh or brackish water (Jongbloed et al. 2003), in swamps and depressions (Al Mehairbi et al. 2019). Its presence is often indicative of freshwater (Feulner 2011).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
The species would be susceptible to the over-abstraction of ground and surface water, however, the scope and impact of this within the range of the species in the UAE are not known. Long term declines in rainfall as a result of climate change is likely to impact the species. Impacts from coastal development are likely to have been significant.
Publication
Allen, D.J., Westrip, J.R.S., Puttick, A., Harding, K.A., Hilton-Taylor, C. and Ali, H. 2021. UAE National Red List of Vascular Plants. Technical Report. Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates, Dubai.
