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 found in the Hajar Mountains in the eastern UAE. It is relatively common in suitable habitat, and whilst its freshwater habitat (groundwater-fed streams and seepages, pools and wet areas) are susceptible to over-abstraction of groundwater and declines in rainfall, the species is considered Least Concern at present.
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 is an occasional species that is found near groundwater in wadis or springs in the Hajar Mountains in the eastern UAE (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It is more common in the Hajar Mountains than in the Ru'us al-Jibal, where it is known from a single site ('Ayn as-Sih; Feulner 2011) in Oman. This plant species has a cosmopolitan global distribution (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 species is a perennial sedge, rush-like with creeping rhizomes, found in and near freshwater (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Al Meharibi et al. 2019), in gravel wadi beds with shallow groundwater, and other freshwater features such as seepages and springs (Feulner 2011). In Wadi Wurayah, it is found beside small springs and pools, and in low numbers around the waterfall (Feulner 2016).
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.
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.
