Taxon name
Cosentinia vellea
(Aiton) Tod.
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Cosentinia vellea
(Aiton) Tod.
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Ferns and Allies
Species authority
(Aiton) Tod.
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
This species is generally considered to be widespread throughout rocky areas in the northeast of the UAE, in addition to growing at high altitudes where it may be subject to fewer threats. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern for the UAE.
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, this species is widespread in the Ru'us al-Jibal (Feulner 2011), with an additional record from Ras al-Khaimah Emirate (Diftah, southeast of Masafi), on a steep northwest-facing jebel slope above a steep-walled wadi (Rothfels et al. 2012). The species is generally considered to grow at high altitudes (Jongbloed et al. 2003). The species occurs in adjacent parts of the mountains in Oman, e.g., on Jebel Ghaweel, along the border north of Al Ain (G.R. Feulner pers. comm. 2019). Globally, the native range of this species includes Mediterranean parts of Europe and North Africa to the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq (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
In the UAE, this perennial fern species is found in rock crevices at higher altitudes and growing within the shelter of boulders (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011). The rhizomes of the plant are covered in light brown scales, it has tufted fronds and dark green leaves covered in hair on their lower surface (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Globally this species is reported as inhabiting sunny, dry, rocky crevices, especially dolomitic, calcareous or sometimes siliceous, mostly found in hot, semi-arid, Mediterranean climates.
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
There are no widespread threats.
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.
