Taxon name
Diplotaxis harra
(Forssk.) Boiss.
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Diplotaxis harra
(Forssk.) Boiss.
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Species authority
(Forssk.) Boiss.
Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed
Diplotaxis harra (Forssk.) Boiss. is a wild relative of brassica crops as well as being related to cultivated perennial wall rocket, D. tenuifolia (L.) DC. Three subspecies are native to Europe: D. harra ssp. crassifolia (Raf.) Maire, D. harra ssp. intricata (Willk.) O.Bolà²s & Vigo and D. harra ssp. lagascana (DC.) O.Bolà²s & Vigo.
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 appears to be fairly widespread within the UAE and is generally considered to be common within rocky areas. It also occurs within at least one protected area. It is therefore assessed as Least Concern.
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
Within the UAE, it occurs within the Hajar Mountain range and in the Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011, 2014). In the Ru'us al-Jibal, this species has been recorded from up to at least 1,650 m altitude (Feulner 2011). Globally, the native range of this species includes Somalia and northern Africa, through to the Arabian Peninsula and Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
It is thought to be a foodplant for a subspecies of the Desert Blacktip, Elphinstonia carlona amseli (Gillett 1997). This dwarf shrub species has been reported from abandoned fields, gravel plains and slopes within low mountain habitats (Western 1991, Jongbloed et al. 2003, Mahmoud et al. 2018). This is an annual species, although sometimes perennial, which can grow up to 50 cm in height (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It has fleshy, oval-shaped leaves with toothed edges, in addition to yellow flowers which are present between February and May (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Diplotaxis harra has been recorded as flowering regularly and profusely within its first season while still surviving for long periods (Batanouny 2001). This plant also has hairs which help to absorb moisture when conditions are humid (Batanouny 2001). It is also a crop wild relative of Brassica species, which includes cabbage, mustard, rapeseed and turnip, among others (Kameswara Rao 2013).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
There is no information available.
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.
