Taxon name
Crotalaria persica
(Burm.f.) Merr.
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Crotalaria persica
(Burm.f.) Merr.
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Species authority
(Burm.f.) Merr.
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
Near Threatened
Qualifying criteria (if given)
B1ab(iii,iv,v)
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
The extent of occurrence (EOO) of this species is estimated to be less than 10,500-15,000 km<sup>2</sup> and, although it is widely scattered throughout the UAE, the number of locations is likely to be close to ten. Crotalaria persica is known to have been lost from some areas and is therefore inferred to be declining. Development, including along the coastline, is thought to pose a threat to this species, in addition to grazing by goats. Therefore, it is assessed as Near Threatened under criterion B1.
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 Jebel Ali (Jongbloed et al. 2003), in addition to Jebel Hafeet, Hamriyah, Sharjah, Ras al-Khaimah and Sila in the western UAE. It was also found from Wadi Siji in 2017. Crotalaria persica is known considered to have possibly been lost from Jebel Ali, in addition to subpopulations being lost due to development. In particular, a subpopulation was lost due to construction of a radio mast (G.R. Feulner pers. comm. 2019) and the occurrence in Taweela no longer exists (G. Brown pers. comm. 2019). The estimated EOO for this species is 10,500-15,000 km<sup>2 </sup>and the number of threat-based locations is considered to be close to ten, according to the threat of development. Globally, this species is found from north-east tropical Africa to Pakistan (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
Crotalaria persica grows within low sand dunes (Jongbloed et al. 2003) and gravel habitats, in addition to wadis, around Jebel Hafeet. It is a perennial species which produces solitary, slightly red flowers between January to April (Jongbloed et al. 2003). This species is a crop wild relative of sunhemp, Crotalaria juncea (Kameswara Rao 2010).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Impacts from coastal development within this species distribution are likely to have been significant. This species is known to have been extirpated from one locality due to the construction of a radio mast (G. Feulner pers. comm. 2019). In addition, grazing by goats could present a threat within specific localities, such as Wadi Siji.
History
Increasing frequency and intensity of development, both commercial and residential, since 1996 mean that it is now listed as Near Threatened rather than Least Concern.
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.
