This species has a restricted distribution in the UAE, where it is known from Wadi Ashwani and Wadi Helo in the northeast of the UAE (Jongbloed et al. 2003, El-Keblawy et al. 2016). In Ras al-Khaimah, the species has been recorded from Wadi Sfai (M. Tsaliki pers. comm. 2019). It occurs in the Ru'us al Jibal in Oman. Globally, the native range of this species spans from the Arabian Peninsula to western Asia and India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, it is suggested that Kohautia retrorsa may actually refer to Kohautia caespitosa (Jongbloed et al. 2003). K. caespitosa is thought to occur in the southern Hajar Mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Globally, this species occurs from the Arabian Peninsula (UAE, Yemen) through to northwest India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

This species is considered to be widespread in the southern Hajar Mountains and also occurs at Jebel Hafeet (Jongbloed et al. 2003, G.R. Feulner in litt, MEW 2010). Globally, the native range of this species spans across southern and tropical Africa and on to the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Feulner (2011) reported this species from two localities in the Ru'us al-Jibal, at elevations of c. 250 and 800 m, both in Oman but within a few kilometres of the UAE (G.R. Feulner pers. comm. 2020). M. Jongbloed (pers. comm. 2019) mentions one record from Ras Al Khaimah; it is not known if this record is distinct from the foregoing, and/or occurs within the Ru'us al-Jibal. The global range of this species is given as from Egypt to Israel, Palestine and Jordan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

In the UAE, the species occurs from Hatta southwards in the Hajar Mountains (south of Wilayat Mahdhah; Feulner 2014) and also occurs on Jebel Hafeet (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Jongbloed et al. (2003) comment that the species was first recorded from the UAE area from Jebel Qatar (in Oman) near Al Ain in 1983, but spread along the mountains despite attempts at eradication because of its toxicity to camels. Feulner (2014) comments that the species is perhaps a recently arrived species. The distribution is expanding in the UAE, and it has been recorded from Ajmaan and from Madam (recorded in 1989). Plants of the World Online (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019) gives the native range of the species as Oman and Iran.

This species has been recorded from Wadi Bih (Böer and Chaudhary 1999) within the Ru'us al-Jibal in the UAE. However, this record needs to be confirmed (MEW 2010). Globally, this species occurs from Egypt and Tanzania to the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this species was considered to be known only from a record by A.R. Western, as the synonym Indigofera leptocarpa Hochst. & Steud. ex Balf.f., cited in Jongbloed et al. (2003; it was presumed that this record was based on Western (1989), however the species is not listed in that book). The locality of the record(s) is not known. The species was recently rediscovered at a single site in Fujairah Emirate (i.d. confirmation, B. Schrire and G.P. Lewis); a small population found on a hill on the western edge of Fujairah city (D. Aplin pers. comm. 2020). Globally, the native range of this species include the Sahara and northern Africa, in addition to Namibia, South Africa, Sudan, Socotra, and the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). Records in the Arabian Peninsula include Oman, Yemen, and KSA.

This species is known to occur within a restricted roadside locality in Hatta, north-east UAE (Sharjah Seedbank & Herbarium). The species was absent from Jongbloed et al. (2003) but included in the draft Red Data Book for the UAE (MEW 2010). Globally, the range of this species includes from Cape Verde to the Arabian Peninsula, to China and tropical Asia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019), however the native distribution is not clear. Kameswara Rao (2013) does not list presence in the UAE.

Within the UAE, this species is recorded along the Arabian Gulf Coast between Abu Dhabi and Ajman (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Globally, the native range of this species spans across the tropical and subtropical Old World (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, Indiofera coerulea, records include Wadi Farfar (Jongbloed et al. 2003), the Ru'us al-Jibal (rare, single locality; Feulner 2011), Mezairaa (Jebel Ajman) and Wadi Nahawa (SSBH data), and WWNP (single record, ""Ghara tributary of Powerline Fork""; Feulner 2016). In montane environments, it is generally found at lower altitudes (Mahmoud et al. 2018). It is described as widespread within suitable wadi and mountain habitats (MEW 2010), and D. Aplin (pers. comm. 2020) found the species at Madhab (Fujairah). The distribution map is certainly incomplete. Globally, this species occurs from Mali to north-east tropical Africa, to the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).