Taxon name
Schimpera arabica
Hochst. & Steud.
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Schimpera arabica
Hochst. & Steud.
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Species authority
Hochst. & Steud.
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)
B1ab(iii)
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This species has a relatively restricted range, with an estimated EOO of 2340 km<sup>2</sup>. Due to coastal development and grazing from nearby camel farms, it is inferred to be experiencing an ongoing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat. In addition, it is estimated to occur at fewer than 10 locations. Therefore, it is assessed as Vulnerable.
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 known from few records in the UAE. Jongbloed et al. (2003) cite two records by R.A. Western from coastal areas of Ajman and Umm al Quwain (<a href=""http://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00043043"">RBGE Herbarium</a>; R.A. Western; 1985, ""Umm al Quwain to Moola Road""). <a href=""http://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00043042"">RBGE</a> also hold a specimen (K. Müller-Hohenstein 1986) from dunes near Al Awir (Dubai). G. Brown (pers. comm. 2019) has only seen the species once in the UAE, near coastal sandsheets in Umm Al Quwain. R.A Western collected the species from ""Ruus al Jibal summit"" in 1985 (Western 1985), precise locality not known and possibly not within the UAE. The estimated EOO of this species is 2340 km<sup>2 </sup>and it is considered to occur at fewer then 10 threat-based locations. The global range of this species is through the Arabian Peninsula to Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Incomplete
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
Schimpera arabica appears to grow near to coastal sand sheets. R. Western collected it from a sandy hollow in settled sand (R.A. Western RBGE specimen) and again from the summit of the Ru'us al-Jibal (Western 1985), while K. Müller-Hohenstein collected the species from inland dunes.
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
This species is considered to be threatened by coastal development, in addition to overgrazing as a result of multiple camel farms close to or within its range.
History
This species has always been considered to have a relatively restricted range within the UAE, in addition to have been threatened by grazing and development in the past.
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.
