Taxon name
Moltkiopsis ciliata
(Forssk.) I.M.Johnst.
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Moltkiopsis ciliata
(Forssk.) I.M.Johnst.
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Species authority
(Forssk.) I.M.Johnst.
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 widespread in the UAE. Whilst subpopulations may have undergone a significant decline as a result of coastal development and grazing, it is thought that the species still qualifies 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
The species is widespread along the Arabian Gulf coast and inland in the northern Emirates (Jongbloed et al. 2003) to Ajman and R'as al-Khaimah (Karim and Dakheel 2006). Karim and Dakheel (2006) considered it to have a clumped distribution in sandy areas of the salty coastal lowlands. The global range of this species is across northern Africa to the eastern Mediterranean, through the Arabian Peninsula, to Iran and Iraq (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
The species is found on sand and tolerates saline conditions (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It is mainly found on the salty coastal lowlands (Karim and Dakheel 2006). The species is also found on gravel plains and sand dunes (e.g. in the DDCR; El Alqamy 2004), and on loose sand. It is a small (height to 0.25(0.4) m) branched shrub (Karim and Dakheel 2006).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
El Alqamy (2004) found the species to be absent around camel farms, presumably as a result of grazing pressure. Coastal development is also likely to be having an impact.
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.
