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
Although this species may be affected by grazing from native species, it appears to be relatively widespread within the Hajar Mountain region of the UAE. In addition, it has also been recently recorded at Jebel Hafeet and is known to grow within the Wadi Wurayah National Park. It is therefore 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, it is known to be widespread throughout the Hajar Mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003). However, it is relatively rare within the Ru'us al-Jibal (Feulner 2011). Globally, this species is native to Africa in addition to both temperate and tropical Asia (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 perennial shrublet species is known to grow among rocks on hillsides, in wadis and on plains (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Fawzi and Ksiksi 2012, Mahmoud et al. 2018). The plant can reach up to 100 cm in height, has leaves with toothed edges and pointed tips, a spherical fruit capsule with seeds covered in white hairs, in addition to small white flowers which can be seen between January and May (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It has been recorded to be eaten by native grazers, such as gazelle and ibex, in addition to sheep (Ghazanfar and Fisher 1998, Feulner 2011, 2016).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Grazing by a range of species may negatively impact this species within parts of its range (Ghazanfar and Fisher 1998, Feulner 2011, 2016).
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.