Taxon name
Polygonum argyrocoleon
Steud. ex Kunze
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Polygonum argyrocoleon
Steud. ex Kunze
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Species authority
Steud. ex Kunze
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
Data Deficient
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
There is little information available for this species. Its population status and trends, in addition to its threats and specific distribution, are unknown, and it may be introduced to the UAE. It is assessed as Data Deficient. Confirmation of the origin, distribution and population status of this species is needed.
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 described as being 'widespread' within the UAE and growing within plantations (Jongbloed et al. 2003). In addition, R. Western recorded this species from Abu Dhabi. The global distribution of this species is uncertain. GRIN (2019) considers it to be native to West Asia (Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq), Central Asia, western China and the Caucasus, introduced and naturalised elsewhere. Plants of the World Online (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019), gives the native distribution as northern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and central Asia. In the Arabian Peninsula, this species is known from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait (Miller and Cope 1996). There don't appear to be any current specimens collected from the UAE within the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh's Herbarium collection (RGBE Edinburgh 2019).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Not possible
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This species is known to grow within plantations (Jongbloed et al. 2003, MEW 2010). It is an annual herb species and produces clustered pink flowers (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Norton et al. 2009, MEW 2010). Polygonum argyrocoleon appears to prefer moist ground and has been referred to as a weed (Norton et al. 2009).
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.
