Taxon name
Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum
L.
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum
L.
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
Qualifying criteria (if given)
B2ab(ii,iii)
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This species mainly occurs in sandy coastal areas within the UAE. These parts of the country are undergoing rapid development for residential and tourist areas which could threaten the species' habitat. In addition, this species is described as rare in the UAE and is known to have a restricted distribution: the estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) for this species is around 21,009 km<sup>2</sup>. The area of occupancy (AOO) has not been calculated as few point data are available, but is estimated to be very much less than 2,000 km<sup>2</sup> and inferred to be a continuing decline as a result of development. The number of locations for this species is estimated at between 5 and 10, and it is thought to be undergoing a continuous decline in the extent and quality of habitat. As a result, it is assessed as Vulnerable (B2ab(ii,iii)), with little potential for a regional rescue effect suspected.
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 plant species has been recorded from Ras al Khaimah and Arabian Gulf islands, including Das Island (Western 1994, Gillett 2002, Jongbloed et al. 2003, Sakkir et al. 2017). In 2007, one individual was found at Taweela (Brown et al. 2007), although this area has now been lost as a result of development. The species is also scattered across offshore islands, and is thought to be common on Zirku and Arzanah. Further, in 2005 and 2007, this species was reported as being locally common in Al Jazeera al-Hamra (Ra's al-Khaimah). Therefore, it is possible that this plant species is more widespread in disturbed areas along the coastline (Brown et al. 2007). The estimated EOO is around 21,009 km<sup>2</sup> and it is considered to occur in 5-10 threat-based locations. The AOO has not been calculated as few point data are available, but is estimated to be very much less than 2,000 km<sup>2</sup> and inferred to be undergoing a continuing decline as a result of development. The global distribution of this species includes Europe, Africa and Asia-Temperate (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This is an annual species occurring in saline sand in coastal environments (Jongbloed et al. 2003) in addition to consolidated and disturbed ground. It forms cushion-like clumps, has succulent cylindrical leaves and solitary white flowers, in addition to brown triangular seeds (Jongbloed et al. 2003). As this plant matures, the leaves turn from green to red (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Western 1994). It has been suggested that Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum is a larval food plant for the Western Pygmy Blue butterfly, Brephidium exilis (Gillett 2002).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Due to its coastal distribution, it is likely that this species is threatened by ongoing coastal development within the UAE.
History
Ongoing development of coastal areas, in addition to the loss of previous Taweela locality mean that the species is listed as Vulnerable. The current ongoing threats are not thought to have had a significant impact on the species in 1996, and so it would have been listed as Least Concern then.
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.
