Taxon name
Ephedra foliata
Boiss. ex C.A.Mey.
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Ephedra foliata
Boiss. ex C.A.Mey.
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Gymnosperms
Species authority
Boiss. ex C.A.Mey.
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 widespread at lower altitudes in the eastern UAE, although also occurring at higher elevations on Jebel Hafeet. Although data are lacking on the population size and trend, the species is assessed as Least Concern as it is thought unlikely that it will approach the thresholds for a threatened category.
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 widespread in the UAE from eastern Abu Dhabi, throughout the Hajar Mountains, to the east coast (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Feulner (2016) records the species from Wadi Wurayah. The species is rare in the southern (Jebel Ayuzah) and central (western Zibat) Ru'us al-Jibal (Feulner 2011), but it is uncertain if these localities are within the UAE. The species occurs on Jebel Hafeet at medium and high altitudes (Stuart and Stuart 1998, Fawzi and Ksiksi 2012, Al Dhaheri 2017). The global distribution of this species is from northwestern and eastern Africa, widespread across the Arabian Peninsula, extending east to India (Saharo-Sindian/Irano-Turanian distribution; Freitag and Maier-Stolte 2003).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The species is widespread in sandy deserts and lower hills (MEW 2010). Feulner (2016) recorded the species from shaded north-facing rubble slopes in Wadi Wurayah, where it is normally a climber or straggler, rarely a shrub. Often found climbing Prosopis cineraria ghaf (Jongbloed et al. 2003) and Acacia trees.
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Grazing by livestock may impact the species in parts of its range, but there is no information on this. It is also threatened by threats to Acacia trees, over-grazing and and development.
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.
