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
The origin of this species in the UAE is uncertain and it seems likely that it has been introduced but has become naturalised, as suggested by the anthropogenic habitats that it is predominantly found in. However, due to this uncertainty, it is included in the UAE National Red List and is assessed as Least Concern because of the probable absence of widespread threats.
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
In the UAE, Phoenix dactylifera is known from Al Ain, Abu Dhabi and Dubai (Karim and Dakheel 2006). Plants of the World Online state that the UAE encompasses part of this species native range (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019), while the draft UAE Red Data Book labelled the species as 'Not Applicable' as it is cultivated (MEW 2010), and the species is listed as an introduced landscape plants by MoCCaE (O. Al Shamsi pers. comm. 2018). This species can persist at a range of altitudes up to 1,200 m (MEW 2010). Globally, this species' native distribution spans from the Arabian Peninsula to the south of 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
This tree has been recorded as growing within developed zones, plantations, oases and sandsheets (Reza Khan 1992, Böer and Saenger 2006, Mahmoud et al. 2018). It is well adapted to extreme summer temperatures, low moisture and high evaporation rates, tolerating hot and saline conditions (Karim and Dakheel 2006). It can grow from around 5 m up to 30 m in height and produces characteristic palm leaves (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Karim and Dakheel 2006). Cream coloured flowers are produced around late spring-time and the date fruit becomes ripe during summer (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Phoenix dactylifera occurs as both a cultivated and wild plant, growing in salt marshes, orchards and urban areas (Karim and Dakheel 2006).
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.
