Taxon name
Suaeda vermiculata
Forssk. ex J.F.Gmel.
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Suaeda vermiculata
Forssk. ex J.F.Gmel.
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Species authority
Forssk. ex J.F.Gmel.
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 common within the UAE and occurs along the majority of the Arabian Gulf Coast. It is also tolerant of high saline habitats. As a result, it is assessed 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
Within the UAE this species is widespread, generally present in coastal areas (Böer and Griggs 1994, Jongbloed et al. 2003, Böer and Saenger 2006, Perry 2008). It used to be common around Abu Dhabi Island, however much of its suitable habitat here was destroyed (Western 1992). Some inland localities remain, such as at Al Ain, in addition to some offshore islands (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Sakkir et al. 2017). This species is native to Europe, Africa and temperate Asia (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 shrub species is recorded from coastal salt marsh and salt flat environment, in addition to fallow fields (Western 1992, Böer and Griggs 1994, Jongbloed et al. 2003, Böer and Saenger 2006). It is a large, dark green and fleshy plant that can reach 1.0 m in height (Karim and Dakheel 2006). It displays succulent, ovoid leaves and solitary flowers which are present between October and December (Karim and Dakheel 2006). This plant is extremely salt tolerant (Karim and Dakheel 2006). The parasitic plant, Cistanche tubulosa, uses this species as a host plant (Norton et al. 2009).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Coastal development is assumed to have impacted this species.
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.
