Taxon name
Halothamnus bottae
Jaub. & Spach
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Halothamnus bottae
Jaub. & Spach
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Species authority
Jaub. & Spach
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(ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(ii,iii,iv,v)
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
The species is known form just a few scattered localities with a highly restricted EOO and AOO, although it is not considered to be uncommon within this range and may well be under-recorded due to being overlooked. Declines have been observed around Jebel Hafeet, which are suspected to be continuing. As a result, the species is assessed as Endangered (B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(ii,iii,iv,v)).
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, this species has been recorded from a few scattered localities on the gravel plains at the base of Jebel Hafeet (G. Brown pers. comm. 2019) and from Al-Wigan (Jongbloed et al. 2003). some localities around the base of Jebel Hafeet have been lost in recent years (G. Brown pers. comm. 2020). The extent of occurrence is suspected to be less than 600 km<sup>2</sup> and the area of occupancy to be very much less than 500 km<sup>2</sup>, however precise figures are not available. Globally, this species is native to temperate Asia and the Arabian Peninsula (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, low shrublet species is known to grow in sand, gravel plains and saline, limestone wadis (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Karim and Dakheel 2006, G. Brown pers. comm. 2019). It can reach 0.7 m in height, has pale-brown branches, scale-like and alternating triangle leaves, in addition to flower spikes (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Karim and Dakheel 2006).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Development and livestock are known to be significant threats on the gravel plains around Jebel Hafeet.
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.
