Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed
Cenchrus ciliaris L. is a wild relative of pearl millet P. glaucum (L.) R.Br. C. americanum (L.) Morrone (syn. Pennisetum glaucum (L.) Br.). This species is classified in Taxon Group 4, following the definition of Maxted et al. (2006).
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 generally widespread and common throughout the UAE. An important agricultural plant, it grows at a range of altitudes, in a range of environments and is extremely salt tolerant. Therefore, it is 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, this species is generally considered to be widespread throughout northern parts of the country (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Al Mehairbi et al. (2019). It is known to occur in Al Ain and Dubai (Karim and Dakheel 2006), and in the Ru'us al-Jibal the species has been recorded from elevations up to 1,350 m (Feulner 2011). Al Mehairbi et al. (2019) show it to be absent from parts of the western coast of Abu Dhabi Emirate. Globally, the native range of this species is from Italy (Sicily) and Greece, through much of Africa, through the Arabian Peninsula, and east to the Indian Subcontinent (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). It has been very widely introduced outside this native range.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This perennial grass species grows within sand, salty habitats and on sandstone hillsides, in addition to disturbed soils along roadsides and plantations (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Karim and Dakheel 2006, Mousa and Fawzi 2009, Mahmoud et al. 2018). It has a woody base, can reach 100 cm in height and has flat leaf-blades of up to 18 cm long (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Karim and Dakheel 2006). The inflorescences of this plant are dark or semi-purple and can be seen throughout the year (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Karim and Dakheel 2006). It is a highly salt-tolerant species (Karim and Dakheel 2006). This species is a crop wild relative of pearl millet, Pennisetum glaucum (Kameswara Rao 2013).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Grazing by goats may threaten this species in areas of its range (Shahid 2017).
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.
